Thomas S. Moore Chardonnay Cask Finished Bourbon

Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Chardonnay Casks, 48.95%, Non-Chill Filtered, Natural Color Barton 1792 Distillery uses its high rye mash bill aged 5-7 years in new charred oak barrels. Then the whiskey is transferred to a secondary cask for “extended” finishing. Normally a finish is measured in months, in this case, they are finishing in wine casks for 1-3 years. The smell - this is more of a traditional bourbon smell. I am not getting much chardonnay influence here. Cron husk, caramel, honey, some rye/dill spice, and vanilla The taste - Ahh, there is the sour chardonnay. The first blast on the tongue is a confusing mix of chardonnay and bourbon. There is the sourness of the chardonnay and it hangs around a while, but eventually, you do get some candy corn, and spice but the sourness from the chardonnay overstays its welcome.  Adding water calms everything down but that sour chardonnay component overwhelms the other flavors.  The finish - is medium but the chardonnay sour white grapes continue to dominate the finish. The rye spice tries to make an appearance but amazingly the sourness of the chardonnay keeps the spice in the background. I am quite surprised that a white wine like Chardonnay can wreak this much havoc on a high rye bourbon. This could be an acquired taste OR it could just be a failed experiment. This one doesn’t work for me. It won’t be wasted thought, I’ll experiment by blending this with other bourbons. If I find a good blend for this I will write about it and let you know. Overall Grade: C-  (Below Average)

OK so, wasn't really all that excited for these, but there seems to be some interest and I've been told this was one of the better ones to try. Expectations aren't high. Nose - sweet notes such as pears and apples beyond what seems like a young, higher rye, a bit aggressive but not well done bourbon. I have to fully disclose, I don't really have much desire to drink this based on the nose. Taste - Up front it's what I like about 1792 with vanilla and some nice fruity bourbon distillate with I guess more kinda light fruits from the wine and then it's harsh and offensive on the finish. You get some interesting transitions and flavors. I get a cool minty element on the finish, like winter green gum. Water doesn't solve that spiced kick on the finish. I don't know what it is about this one, but I seriously don't enjoy it. I think these guys are making some good bourbon, but it feels like they're just sourcing all the good stuff or worse yet, they just don't have competent people there to blend it themselves. 1 star. It's drinkable and you might enjoy the kick. But it's a hard pass going forward for me.

It’s unique and works for my palate. I have drank a lot of wine and can say that I don’t like most Chardonnay’s. But knowing Chardonnay’s, I was intrigued by this possible paring. The casking is most notable in the nose and the finish. The taste takes you on a journey from light, airy, and crisp in the beginning to your traditional bourbon middle and then abruptly to Chardonnay finish. This finish can be described from going sweet with a hint of cinnamon to apricot to a dry white wine oak lingering finish. I would have to agree that the casking does not enhance the traditional sweet richness of a bourbon like a port finish (think angel’s envy), but creates a nice new animal that is pleasant and satisfying. Further, to bring out more of the bourbon sweetness in the taste and finish, add a little water or let it dilute on a rock. Regardless, this is a flavor journey that has a welcome home in my cabinet.

Friend picked up all three of the TSM bottles (Port, Cabernet, and Chardonnay finishes), so will slowly enter rates for them, in ascending order. This pour, the chardonnay, was a huge disappointment. To be clear, I'm not a huge chardonnay fan, at least for the branch that is 'buttery', but it wasn't the butter notes that turned me off here. Starting with the nose, it was the 'redemption' for this whiskey - relatively complex, but heavily oaked...lots of medium fruit, a mild sweetness - it makes you curious. Then you dive in and I get a very heavy astringency from the start...almost like a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash. I know...crazy, but I tried it on a separate night with a fresh palate, and more of the same. Tons and tons of oak...this just took what might have been a good base bourbon, and made it as close to undrinkable as a $70 bottle can get...

NOSE: Oak, caramel, slightly herbal baking spice, dried dark fruit, vanilla frosting, a bit of nuts and peanut brittle. The spice slowly grows bolder as it opens and brings a touch more fruit with it. I can’t say I’m really getting much in the way of wine notes on the aroma and it just reminds me of their bourbon. PALATE: Oak, caramel, baking spice, dried grapey fruit, vanilla, roasted nuts and a slightly earthy herbalness. There’s the wine. It really pops on the palate of this Thomas S. Moore Bourbon Chardonnay Casks, but I don’t get a nice, integrated, delivery. The wine and the bourbon are fighting more than they’re complementing. FINISH: Medium -> Grapey sweet, oak, nuts, and a slightly metallic off-note fades to a slightly off wine note.

Nose is grape soda. Grapes, sugar, raspberry, mint, caramel. Body is gummy bears. I’ll be dammed if this isn’t a Jefferson’s product. There’s also melon, cherry, leather. This is my favorite part of the drink. Finish is dry wine. There’s a bit of spices on the side of your tongue but this is really where the Chardonnay takes control. It’s bizarre to jump from those sweet notes to the dryness on this finish. This is odd. I like this less than their port finish, but I think this is stronger in the category of Chardonnay finish than the port finish is in a highly saturated port-finish market. It really does some interesting things, but I can’t say I enjoy it. Drinkable, interesting, won’t buy again.