The Starlight BiB wins this battle by virtue of having the richer, bolder and more luxurious profile. The completely different character of Glass #2 cemented that thought as the dark and heavy notes that are so typical of pot still distillation came through. The cherries and vanilla are too identifiable to not take notice. Glass #2: Starlight Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Winner: Starlight Bottled-in-Bond!įrom the first sip of glass 1, I had suspected I was drinking a Buffalo Trace distilled product. Overall, it’s bold and rich and very much the opposite of Glass #1. If there is one flaw, it’s the palate was kind of flat and holds it back a bit. Score: 6.8/10įinal Thoughts: The depth of this one shocked me with how old it came off. The finish is missing out on some sweetness, but the strong effects of the other flavors somewhat make up for it. It’s very intense and draws immediate comparison to some very old MGP bourbon that I’ve tasted in the past.įruit is barely noticeable on the end but the ones I can pick up on resemble black cherries and toasted orange peel. This is followed by a dry leather and tobacco leaf note. There are dark, tannic notes of leather and tobacco leaf that lean towards “earthy” and make it taste much more aged than it is.įinish: Seasoned and charred oak smother most other flavors once the sip is complete. All of these flavors are fantastic, but slightly muted. Some of the baking notes from the nose also shine through with cinnamon, clove, and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of flat Birch Beer soda and dark red fruits are identifiable first. Whereas the first glass had bright flavors with a thin mouthfeel, this glass tastes much older and heavier. Palate: The palate starts off somewhat flat compared to Glass #1. The nose also has a great “baked goods” scent with cinnamon, strudel and toasted brown sugar. Fruits abound with scents of dried figs, plums and cherry. Instead of oak, the wood is lighter and more fragrant like cedarwood. Nothing is out of place and there are no frills. Score: 6/10įinal Thoughts: This is a very competent and predictable whiskey. I’m surprised by the amount of tannins I can detect for a 4 year old product. There is a slight menthol cooling note that also is present. There are no offputting or young flavors.įinish: A bit of barrel char and tobacco juice linger for a while as the citrus notes and cherry fade away. Cherries, oranges and vanilla give some depth while a hint of brown sugar, caramel sauce and butterscotch bring forth sweetness. Palate: The mouthfeel comes off as somewhat thin but the flavors are pleasant. Vanilla, cherries and caramel all come through while a tiny bit of oak can be found in the background. Nose: The nose on this one is very basic, but all of the scents seem easily identifiable. I sampled these semi-blind and in a Glencairn. That’s just one of the many differences that separate these two, but I wanted to put them up against each other in a semi-blind shootout to see if the newcomer had what it took to hang with a mass-produced Bottled-In-Bond from the bottom shelf. Whatever age Benchmark was before (my guess is 3 years old), the consumer would now know it was at least 4 years old.īuffalo Trace products are typically chill filtered if they’re not bottled at barrel proof whereas Starlight’s whiskies typically aren’t. The one bottle that intrigued me the most was the Benchmark “Bonded” label. Sazerac looked to change Benchmark’s status from bottom-shelf dweller to the next shelf up. So when Starlight Distillery began to roll out with a bottled-in-bond release of their bourbon in 2020, it was a sign to all of the holdouts that Starlight had made it and that their products should be taken seriously.Īround the same time as I got this bottle last year, Sazerac started to expand their lineup of Benchmark labels. Age matters a lot in both perception and taste and putting that “Bottled In Bond” wording on the bottle is viewed as a mark of assurance to the customer. Up until that point, most craft distillery’s whiskies have probably not yet turned 4 years old. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Ī sign that a craft distillery has “made it” in the big leagues is when they finally release a bottled-in-bond product.
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