Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight Bourbon Store Picks 5 Year

Neat. Neck pour. NASA Liquors pick. Traded a bourbon friend a bottle I had multiples of for a barrel I have never had. So glad Old Scout jumped back on the MGP train. This is my 8th bottle from a different barrel. Only two have been disappointments thus far. Oh this is a good pick on the nose. Lacks the MGP young note, which is a big turn off for me. I’m excited! Getting a ton of citrus on this one, orange peel specifically. There is a lot of vanilla with it, creating a dream sucks effect. There is a little graham cracker covered in honey but the nose mostly stays light and bright. The fact that it can stay this bright and not exhibit the youthfulness is great. The Old Scout picks I have liked the most have been darker in nature with the youth blocked out by the heavy barrel influence. This one is going down a different route on the nose. Super oily. The graham cracker and honey are dominating at first. Wow. This is a good one. Transitions into the orange and vanilla. And the orange lingers and lingers. And lingers. Delayed Kentucky hug. More orange. Ooo starting to get a chocolate note on subsequent sips. Doesn’t get much better than this for a $50 MGP. I would guess this is in the 7 year range blind, it’s hitting well above its class. And this is the neck pour. I think this is the best of the young MGP picks I have grabbed recently. I will need to blind this against the Gallenstein and Party Source after it has a chance to open up.

This is a 5 year, 59.4% ABV pick done by Liquor barn. Barrel 27819 and bottled by Jordan. I love Remus reserve, the Boone County 12-14y picks and Down home 12... but young MGP bourbon is something I’ve never tried. More available options would be Belle Meade bourbon or regular Remus, also in the $40-50 range and possibly older but at lower proof. Color is a nice burnt orange. Nose is just funky on this neck pour. Oak, pepper, cardamon, blood orange, ethanol, dill, Hawaiian Punch... Jazzy on the tongue with a slug of Hawaiian Punch, tobacco and oak that takes a turn toward tannic dill, more oak, tums (classic MGP) and then fades back into punch and tobacco. The mouthfeel is initially thin but has a drying, slightly oily feel on the tongue with the finish. I think for $45-50 this is a re-buy. I guess mine was $53 but can say this dances with Rare Breed and 1920 for the same hard earned cash. Profile is quite different, very MGP and not terribly far from Remus Reserve at $80. Fruitier than Remus. Spice profile isn’t as broad as Russels Reserve or Rare Breed but there is no lack of spice. Fruit level is on par with 1920 but not as smokey. For the proof this has relatively little burn on the palate but does give a nice Kentucky hug. I can only imagine what this would be at 14 years but this holds its own. Will have to put this against Belle Meade 2020 NAS cask strength... more to come.

Total Wine and More pick, Tempe Arizona. Barrel # 27886. 56.9% ABV, 5 year age statement. On the nose getting a full gamut of barrel spices; cinnamon, allspice, clove, ginger, and nutmeg. A hint of tamarind, nut, and vanilla underneath, but make no mistake; spicy aromas steal the show. Yeah, there’s some ethanol if you jam your nose in the glass but easily forgivable given the 113 proof. Palate opens with unsalted peanut and buttered popcorn, followed by some standard vanilla/caramel notes and then leading into the big baking spice bloom suggested in the nose. Just read the spice list above again because it’s all there in the finish, which is on the longer side of medium. Some prickly heat makes the proof known, but given the flavor profile it’s not detriment at all. Mouthfeel is full and chewy. A real plus. While I found the standard 99 proof “non store pick” 5 year SAOS to be a little lacking, this one hit the right notes with a richer, fuller experience on every level. It has some similarities to Booker’s (minus some complexity and refinement) As far as value goes, many times the refrain is “this is good but maybe not a rebuy given the price”, whereas this one is pleasantly the opposite; a 113 proof bourbon with no flaws for $42? Clearly rebuy worthy as normally anything of this quality and proof is north of $50.

Neat. Neck pour. Gallenstein #11. I have 5 or 6 different barrels of these Old Scout 5 year picks. Each one is better than any other MGP I have had. Starting to see Remus single barrels in my area but they don’t compare to these Old Scouts. When I saw this bottle at one of my favorite stores today, I was excited despite having so many of these already. Hmm, very subtle on the nose. Nice lightly charred caramel. Freshly baked cinnamon roll. Some baked apple. Some deep clove and baking spices as I sit with it longer. There is a nice vanilla frosting too. Almost 120 proof, but you can’t tell from the nose. No young notes, which again is awesome for these young Old Scouts. Texture is actually light and fluffy, so strange. Vanilla sweetness up front transitions into a delicious caramel bomb. Those baking spices and pepper show up on the legs and the rye makes an appearance on the finish. Those cinnamon baked apples are coming through too. Another winner. Gosh. I’ll have to blind these soon to see which barrel I like most. This barrel is going to be up there. It is so smooth, so crisp. Not very complex I suppose but it really tastes good. Only $60 too. Glad I bought a back up.

Neat. Neck pour. DEPs #3. My second bottle crack for the day of Old Scout. DEPs first two single barrels rank towards the bottom of the barrels I have had. Let’s see if the third time is the charm. A bit hot on the nose, need to approach this one with some caution. There is a green young note coming to the top of this one. Super shiny. From behind that a tart pear emerges with lots of cinnamon and baking spices. Light butterscotch and graham cracker pie crust. The shininess dominates though. This nose makes me nervous... Very thick and vicious. Cinnamon and a bit of musty funk on the tongue. Ah bummer, this one comes off as too young. I was afraid of that. That young green note just dominates the front. It transitions into some nice cherry and then finishes with caramel but the young note just comes around again on the finish. It’s even harsh. Bummer. Blah. I love MGP but when a barrel is too young it is a real turnoff for me. The cherry note redeemed it a bit but all in all a lack luster use of $50.

“Los Miguel’s” pick from Star Liquor in Phoenix Arizona. 117.4 proof. 5 year age statement. Robust nose features circus peanuts, macadamia nuts, orange zest, gentle oak, and nutmeg. On some nights this hit me with ethanol fumes and on other nights it didn’t (including this one) so confusing AF there. On the palate big nutty presence (a blend of cashew, peanut, and walnut), cherry, oak, caramel, and barrel spices (equal parts cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice) Finish is so sharp it cuts like a knife featuring “atomic fireball” cinnamon candy, ash, and an unattenuated alcohol bite that really beats the tongue up a little. It’s medium in length but since it’s not a great finish, you’d probably prefer shorter. Mouthfeel is grainy, which only adds to the harshness. Seeing as I used to get Total Wine’s (superior) five year store picks at $42, the $57 mark makes this a hard child to love. A fan of the five year store picks and would rebuy them in the future; just not necessarily this one.