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      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      By BillNovember 30, 20210
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    Boone County

    Boone County Distilling Eighteen 33 Bourbon Review

    BillBy BillFebruary 23, 2017Updated:July 31, 2017No Comments3 Mins Read

    Boone County Eighteen 33

    86 Okay

    Aged a year or two past its prime, and bottled at only 90.8 proof, this bourbon could have been excellent, but instead winds up in the middle of the pack of a host of MGP-sourced whiskeys.

    What it is

    Boone County Distilling Company opened its facility in Independence, KY and began distilling in October of 2015. They joined the Kentucky Distillers’ Association at the end of that year.  Since then, the company has released a 120 proof white dog, a bourbon cream, and a bourbon- Eighteen 33, which pays homage to the year the first Boone County Distilling Company was founded (there is no relation between the original and this distillery save the name).

    Eighteen 33 is a ten year old bourbon bottled at 90.8 proof.  If you’re trying to work out the math, don’t bother.  A ten year old whiskey from a less-than-two year old distillery doesn’t work out. This is sourced, and it states Lawrenceburg, IN as the source on the label, which means this is MGP distillate.  To some, just mentioning MGP elicits groans.

    “Another MGP sourced bourbon?”

    I hear you, and I get it. I really do. The problem with that reasoning, though, is one that is inescapable: MGP produces solid whiskey. If I’m sourcing a whiskey- rye in particular, but bourbon as well- they’re probably the first place I call.

    And this is ten years old. Outside of Smooth Ambler’s Old Scout, there aren’t a lot of those out there.

    Boone County Eighteen 33 Vital Stats
    • ABV: 45.4% (Proof: 90.8º)
    • Mash Bill: unknown
    • Age: 10 years
    • Producer: Boone County Distilling Co.
    • Distilled by: MGP, Lawrenceburg, IN
    • Price Paid: $54
    • Availability: Available- at least in the Kentucky area

    Packaging

    Eighteen 33 is packaged in a nicely shaped bottle with orange and black label. The scheme reminds me slightly of Bulleit, and it is corked, not a screw top, and that cork is topped with a nice wooden cap. It’s a good looking bottle.

    Appearance

    Medium brown.

    Nose

    Some caramel along with lots of oak greet the nose. There are some underlying leather and earthy notes as well, though oak seems to be the featured aroma.

    Taste

    The tip of the tongue gets a healthy dose of caramel, but the center of the palate, from back to front, is then hit with a long, oily, not-altogether-unpleasant punch of oak, which again becomes the featured flavor.  The age is readily apparent. There are some notes of light vanilla on the periphery, along with hints of tobacco and leather as well.

    Finish

    Some rye spices pop up on the finish, along with some caramel notes, but everything plays second fiddle to the oak. This sip really displays the age of the whiskey. Water didn’t help a ton, as it primarily just muted the non-oak flavors.  But the finish is medium in length.

    Synopsis

    Tglencairn-amazonhis isn’t by any means a bad whiskey. However, it didn’t seem to handle the extra years in the barrel as well as Old Scout tends to do. I think this would drink better at 100 proof or higher, as it needs a little more complexity of flavor to keep pace with the likes of Smooth Ambler. Conversely, I think this might have been a better sip at maybe 8 years as well. The oak seems to dominate, and the usual fruitiness I find in MGP distillate is missing here as a result. Still, if oak is your thing, you should like this. At $55, you’ll have to weigh the cost, however.

    ModernThirst.com Score: 86 out of 100 points.

    What does that score mean?
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    Bill
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    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

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    November 30, 2021

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    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

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