Remus Repeal Reserve Series V (2021 Medley)

Finally time to give my thoughts on this Remus Repeal batch 5. The House brand of MGP, it is comprised of the high rye mash bill and is a blend of - 51% 2008 bourbon (36% Rye) - 13% 2008 bourbon (21% Rye) - 19% 2006 bourbon (21% Rye) - 05% 2006 bourbon (36% Rye) - 09% 2005 bourbon (21% Rye) Bottled at 100 Proof…. Let’s dive in 👇🏽👇🏽 Nose: Light sweet oak and gentle clove spice. Alittle bit of toasted marshmallow and candy syrup. Bright fruits (cherry/orange) and dusty corn Palate: Nice and and extremely crushable. That toasted oak sweetness is pretty well integrated throughout with all that nice sugar and marshmallow; it’s sorta right in the middle of feeling old and young. I get a sweet tobacco accompanied with alittle bit of tannic. I do wish it had a slightly deeper oak feel; it really is more on the brighter light side of things. That being said this is an extremely balanced dram with everything popping up and making itself known. A final burst of cherry and spice linger on the back palate. Finish: This is my favorite part of the drink and I believe this is where that nice age shows up. It lasts for quite a bit. Very mouth coating and velvety. It’s oaky, sweet, and man does that cherry keep going. A very nice lingering of toasted barrel sugars and spice is what holds on the most. Perhaps also a bit of toffee and light pipe tobacco. Conclusion/ Score: 89 out of 100 I really dig this. It’s crushable, it’s relaxing, it’s balanced and it’s really just an all around enjoyment. I think this is a great dram for whiskey enthusiasts who want to concentrate on the whiskey…but not to hard😉. It’s not the most rich and complex thing in the world but man I think this shows what can happen when blending goes right! Cheers🥃

The nose starts with a mix of florals, powdered sugar covered dehydrated apricots and dusty oak then milk chocolate covered caramel squares and toasted walnuts followed by anise spiced baked pears, charred orange peel and maraschino cherries that transitions to spearmint, cloves, ginger and polished leather with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting floral and sweet with powdered sugar dusted tropical fruit salad before a moderate spice that quickly fades to charred orange peel and dusty oak then milk chocolate covered caramel squares and toasted walnuts followed by anise spiced baked pears, sautéed cinnamon apples and black cherries that transitions to spearmint, cloves, ginger and polished leather with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with a mild ashy oak spice, charred orange peel, anise spiced baked pears, spearmint, cloves, ginger and polished leather. This is a fantastic bourbon that combines traditional dusty old bourbon flavors with tropical fruits, florals and unique spices to create a complex and unique profile that differs from the normal bourbon profile with a bit more spice than I’d prefer, but not to the point of overpowering those unique flavors. For around $80+, this is a bargain in today’s insane priced market that I would highly recommend and a huge thanks to @soonershrink for providing me with a generous sample.

Nose - butterscotch, vanilla, walnut, black cherry, cinnamon butter, tobacco, earthy mint, chocolate, cranberry, grass, orange zest, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - butterscotch, cherry, vanilla, peanut butter, orange, mint, tangerine, apple, pineapple, grass, leather, chocolate, sweet floral notes, rich oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with butterscotch, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors. Last up in my Remus tour is this fifth Repeal Reserve expression. I was unfortunately a bit underwhelmed by the third release, so let’s see how this one fares. The nose is really nice. It’s even more citrus and red fruit-forward than the third release’s. It’s sweet grassy with nutty, minty chocolate aromas. The palate is punchy and rich. Bright red fruits and deep citrus qualities accompany chocolate and tropical fruit flavors. The mouthfeel is medium and the finish lingers pleasantly. This is great bourbon. It easily bests the third release for me. This has a strong citrusy presence, but it doesn’t veer thin and sour like the last one did. I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a profile like this on another bourbon. It’s really well done, if not slightly bright and fresh for my liking. Many thanks to both @soonershrink and @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for providing generous samples. I have enough for one more enjoyable experience.

Nose is fairly subdued, featuring spun sugar, strawberry, green leafy vegetable, sawdust, and light generic citrus. Definitely a unique nose with lots to like, just wish it were a little stronger. Zero, and I mean ZERO ethanol presence, which is awesome. Those familiar with MGP expressions will find the familiar bright flavor profile here. Green apple, honey, mossy oak, and a light pepper and nutmeg spice. Flavors have depth and complexity while at the same time being very well rounded and seamlessly integrated. Finish is medium length with a sweetness that is a trait in MGP bourbons that I like to call “ice cream sundae”; namely French vanilla and caramel. It’s a little unusual to have a bourbon go from a brassy opening to a darker finish, but that’s what these nicely aged MGP bourbons tend to do for me. Mouthfeel is soft and buttery, which is exactly what is needed to propel the flavor profile. I think the age of the bourbons in the blend really made the difference here, as there is not a rough edge to be found. An enjoyable smooth 100 proof sipper with no discernible flaws. At the $68 I paid, I have zero regrets and can easily justify a rebuy.

I’m really puzzled, and not a little disappointed. My bottle doesn’t taste anything like Stephanie Moreno’s tasting notes, or like most of the other bourbon fans’ descriptions. I think the problem may be that it’s over-aged, considering that the label states that the whiskies in the blend were distilled between 2005-2008, and that I prefer richer bourbons aged more in the 8-10 year range. Maybe this says more about my taste preferences than about the whiskey, but I sure wish that I’d spent that $100 on a little younger bourbon instead. Here are my notes: Nose: very faint nutmeg and a touch of oak, but pretty much drowned out by a moderate ethanol punch. Palate: hot entry, light-to-medium viscosity but silky due to low tannins, and very dry. Flavors are pretty closed. Not much fruit. Some dry wood, but not sweet oak vanilla. Added about 10% water and waited 10-15 minutes for more development and for some of the alcohol to blow off: only a little less heat. The nose opened up with notes of leather and some sourness, but palate showed there was not much change in the muted flavors. In a word, insipid.

Rich auburn color and glass coating liquid. Sweet corn, vanilla, and light grassy spice on the nose. Sweet grain, caramel corn, and then lots a rye spice explodes, building to vanilla oak and ethanol in the mouth. Creamy full mouthfeel. Finish is long and a little sour underneath a spicy, grassy, and mint tingle. A classic MGP blend, heavy on the rye, three or four flavor notes, crisp and earthy, good all the way down. Shows the MGP distilling skills. I'm glad they're bottling their own juice now, keep the others honest about what they're selling as their own, and that's good. 6/2023. A year and a half after I first reviewed this, and this bourbon still holds up as an impressive balanced drink. Bumped this up from 4.25 to a 4.5, and added it to my Top Shelf list. Only one more glass left after this. Cheers.