Bib & Tucker has a good repute within the bourbon world — significantly its older expressions — and as we speak the outfit launches its oldest expression but, a 15 12 months outdated bourbon it calls The Golden Spike. (Why The Golden Spike? It honors the transcontinental railroad, started in 1845, and the 17.6 karat gold spike used to finish the road connecting the east to the west. “The Golden Spike celebrates the completion of this nice achievement in American historical past. Every bottle features a Gold Practice Bottle Topper to additional signify the historic second,” per the model.
What that has to do with this whiskey I’m not fully certain, however we do know that is sourced from a Tennessee distillery — and never a lot else. (It’s unclear if this undergoes the Lincoln County course of.) With that prologue out of the way in which, let’s get to tasting. B&T guarantees this “will solely be bottled as soon as,” in spite of everything.
A well-tempered nostril performs issues straightforward, a showcase for sweetened Corn Pops that had me considering of these little cereal containers we solely obtained to eat on trip as children. Vanilla, butterscotch, and almond syrup spherical out a really candy fragrant profile, with some late-game savory components, barrel char and a observe of dill, lastly creeping in. These are all prelude to a palate which doubles down on its sweeter aspect, with that butterscotch character significantly heavy. From there the whiskey’s fruit shortly evolves, displaying off a shocking tropical aspect that options lychees, pineapple, and a touch of coconut. Notes of guava and a callback of dill make for a slightly unique but additionally spicy end, abetted by a 50.4% abv that provides a barely racy component to the proceedings.
It’s certainly Dickel inventory, nevertheless it’s clearly from an excellent choice of barrels — and in no way over-oaked. $200 could also be asking quite a bit for this expertise… however I did point out the Gold Practice Bottle Topper, proper?
100.8 proof.
A- / $200
Bib & Tucker The Golden Spike Bourbon 15 Years Outdated
$200
