Up next in 10
After a three-year hiatus, Bourbon Bytes is back with a brand-new season and a barrel full of whiskey news. Clifton breaks down the surprise announcement of Eagle Rare 12 — is it a smart move or an unnecessary twist? He also dives into the ultra-limited Remus Babe Ruth Reserve and some game-changing distribution news for Old Forester fans outside of Kentucky. Finally, he gives a sweet and spicy byte-sized review of Rock Hill Farms Bourbon — a rare pour that reminds him of home… and Krispy Kreme donuts. Short, sharp, and spirited — this relaunch is everything you’ve missed and more. 0:00 Welcome Back to Bourbon Bytes 1:48 Whiskey News Kickoff 1:54 Eagle Rare 12 Announcement 5:01 Remus Babe Ruth Reserve Returns 7:58 Old Forester President’s Choice Goes National 12:02 Byte Club & Supporting Bourbon Bytes 13:30 Byte-Size Review: Rock Hill Farms Bourbon 19:38 Final Thoughts & What’s Next
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0:00
Today on the Bourbon Bites Podcast, I'm back and I'm sharing the latest and greatest bourbon and
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whiskey news from around the world, including the just announced Eagle Rare 12, the next release of
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Remus Babe Ruth Reserve, and some exciting news for the rest of us old Forrester fans that don't
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live in Kentucky. Hello everyone and welcome to the
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first episode of season two of the Bourbon Bites podcast. I'm your host Clifton and if you don't
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know I started this podcast several years ago. My last episode was in 2022. I switched focus to do
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more on YouTube and then the live streams but after some time and some thought behind it I
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figured this is the best platform for me to share the latest and greatest news with you guys. On my
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live streams we're typically doing flights for doing reviews but I really wanted a platform where
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I can talk about the top stories in bourbon and whiskey and not just that we can expand things out
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to the gaming world I haven't quite figured out like what other news I'm going to cover beyond
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whiskey but this first episode we're just going to talk whiskey because what better way to kick
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off a season two of a whiskey podcast than lots of whiskey news and a whiskey that I've actually
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never reviewed on the podcast. So if you're new to my podcast, I try to keep my episodes relatively
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short. So around 20 minutes ish. That way you have something nice to listen to on your commute
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or your bathroom break. I don't know where you guys are listening, but you guys really seem to
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enjoy the short form format of this. So yeah, I'm going to keep with that and we'll see how it goes
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But I'm always open to suggestions if you have other ideas to improve. But today, I'll keep it
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short and sweet. Let's get into the whiskey news of the week. And surprisingly, there's a lot of it
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We'll talk about the big one first. Buffalo Trace announced that they're introducing Eagle Rare 12
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Now, this is a new release. Normally, Eagle Rare is a 10 year age dated whiskey, but they're
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actually releasing this at two years older. They say that this is a bold, aspirational
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yet accessible bourbon and the latest result of the world's most award winning distilleries
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commitment to distilling and aging expertise. When I first saw this, I was like, wait, what
2:19
I thought maybe they were just changing the age on Eagle Rare because there's a photo and it's the
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exact same bottle. It looks like the top is made out of copper or it's like a copper color instead
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of silver. But yeah, it looks like the same bottle. It just has a 12 on it. So I think it's
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an interesting move. I am a fan of Eagle Rare. For a while, I was kind of burned out by them
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because every store around me was getting pics of them. But just the standard stuff, I revisited relatively recently
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and I was like, yeah, this is a good 10-year-old bourbon. So it makes me wonder why they are putting out a minimum 12-year-old version of it
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Now, this one is bottled at a different proof. It's bottled at 95 proof, 47.5% ABV
3:00
So that's coming in five proof points higher than the standard Eagle Rare tin
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And this release will be released at select retailers, bars, and restaurants
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across the U.S. beginning June of 2025 at a suggested retail price of $49.99 per bottle
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I think the most shocking thing about this is it is joining the regular Eagle Rare as part of their
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permanent lineup. To me, I read this as like, okay, maybe they have some older stocks of what
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they're using for Eagle Rare. Maybe they're just going to increase the age statement. Some brands
3:30
will take it off, they'll add it. We saw that with Knob Creek, they took the nine year off and they
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added it back. So I thought maybe they were just saying like, hey, we got this older stock
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let's let's up the age of eagle rare maybe make it a little bit more pricey um that just seems
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like what i would think they would do i i think it's very strange to release a 12 year old at 95
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proof when you have a 10 year old at 90 proof on the market is that just me especially because
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the pricing i mean i haven't bought eagle rare in a while but uh it's i assume it's around 40 45
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for the regular so this is what five ten dollars more it just seems like a weird place to come out
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with a new product versus maybe replace Eagle Rare 10. But I do think that 12 makes sense only
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because they already have Weller 12 as part of a Buffalo Trace lineup. I was actually going to
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review that for today's podcast, but then I realized that I reviewed it on season one of
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the podcast. So I've got to make sure I got new content for you guys. We're reviewing a different Buffalo Trace product. But yeah, this is the same Mashable number one that's in Eagle Rare
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the same one that's in the standard Buffalo Trace. I'm curious to hear what you guys think. Maybe I'm
4:30
overthinking this it just to me it feels like it is kind of unnecessary um i get like increasing
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the age statement on an existing product just because you can like you know say like oh you
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know we got older stock let's let's release it older um but having a new product in lineup i
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don't know just a strange decision in my opinion we'll see i would love a chance to review it i
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don't have it i don't know when i'll see it but um yeah that's that's a first story of the day
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kind of kind of perked my ears up this morning. I'm like, why? All right Next up we have news out of Remus Bourbon They bringing back the Babe Ruth Reserve Of course this is the next chapter in their partnership with the Babe Ruth family They
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had a release last year as well. But this is the 2025 ultra limited release. There's only 8,399
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bottles and they're going to arrive at retail this month with a MSRP of $149.99 per 750 milliliter
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bottle. Of course, this is out of Ross and Squibb Distillery. You may know them as MGP
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That's just kind of their house brand. Remus is like their house bourbon. But this is a very
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limited release. And they're saying it's inspired by Ruth's number three. Now, I assume that means
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his number on his jersey. Man, that just reveals how much of a sports person I am not
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All right. I just Googled it. Yes, he was number three for both the Atlanta Braves and the New
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York Yankees. So good thing. Good thing. I looked that up. Now, the way they say they tribute that
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is this is a medley of three high rye bourbon mash bills, some of which were distilled in 2016
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and 2017, comprising of 44 percent rye, 49 percent rye and 36 percent rye bourbons, respectively
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They then took those, blended them together and released it at 111 proof or 55.5 percent ABV
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Now we have a quote from Tom Stevens, who is the grandson of Babe Ruth. He says the estate of
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Babe Ruth is thrilled to once again collaborate with Ross and Squibb Distillery on the limited
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edition 2025 Remus Babe Ruth Reserve. We are confident that collectors and baseball fans alike
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will conclude that Remus hit another home run with this special release. Babe would be proud
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So as with last year, this comes in a very special bottle. It is a rectangular art deco
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inspired glass bottle similar to what you see with the Remus Reserve or even the higher end
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version. I forget what that one is called. That came out a couple of years ago. I don't know if still do that. I had a sample of it thanks to our good friend Bourbon Noob. But this one is
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embossed with a baseball diamond pattern and a unique baseball bat knob wooden cork. I'm looking
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at the bottle. It is nice. It looks like a really nice decanter. Definitely one that you would buy
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and reuse. I always love Remus. Just even the Repeal Reserve, their Art Deco style, just as such
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a cool classic look. Now, I unfortunately don't have a sample here to review. But if you're curious
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about how much of each of those mash bills went into it. 73% of this whiskey is a 49
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rye. 15% of the whiskey is a 44% rye and 12% of it is a 36% rye. So majority of it is
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a 49% rye from MGP. I'm trying to think which of their, which of their products would have
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that. Cause I mean, that's interesting. That's, that's like a, it's almost like a barely legal
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rye, but it's not a rye. It's like the maximum amount of rye you can put in a bourbon. So
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that's really confusing, but I'm interested. I'm intrigued. I would love a chance to try it. So
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if you guys have a bottle of it and you want to share, reach out to me. Contact at bourbonbites.com
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And our last piece of news that came in this week, this was coming to us from Old Forrester
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And this one I'm pretty excited about because it's a release that I've never seen in person
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I hear about it. I hear fantastic things about it, but it's one of the allocated releases that
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only someone who knows somebody gets access to a bottle, but that may be changing. So Old Forrester
8:19
is now releasing their President's Choice bottles, not just at the distillery, but in select markets
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So that means you don't have to line up at the distillery, you know, two days in advance. Actually
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I don't know how long. I've never done that. I've heard it's fun, but yeah, that's not my style
8:34
But yeah, certain regions are getting it starting June 14th. They also are having a new rye expression
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President's Choice Rye, and this will be available in select states and in limited quantities. So
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it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get your hands on it, but for those of us that live outside of Kentucky, it offers us a glimmer of hope of seeing this bottle. Now, these were inspired
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by private single barrels offered in 1964 by former Old Forrester President George Garvin
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Brown II. These barrels will typically be aged between seven to nine years old and will vary
9:06
within the traditional range of 110 to 125 proof based on optimal flavor. Of these two, I'm most
9:13
interested in the rye because I have had some barrel strength Old Forster rye that I've loved
9:19
Most of it, it tends to taste a bit young, but with these being seven to nine years old
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I think we're getting some of that more well-aged rye. So I can imagine the rye is delicious. I do
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love the rye on its own and even the rye, just the standard small batch rye, I think it's like
9:32
100 proof. I love that for a cocktail. That's actually my go to bottle for a Manhattan around
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this house. Sometimes I'll switch it out for some Wild Turkey 101 rye. But yeah, Old Forrester 100
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rye is always on my bar cart pretty much. So the barrel proof releases have been very hit or miss
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I just I just feel like they taste quite young, especially the bourbon. The barrel proof bourbon
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from Old Forrester really let me down. The rye was a little more exciting. But with it being seven
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to nine years old, that makes me really, really excited. Now, while I see one in California
10:01
We'll see. So they'll actually be releasing this at 10 a.m. Eastern Time this Saturday June 14th They going to have some at their gift shop and in their online store shop But it says with shipping in states where it legal However
10:16
they only list a few options. I know it's definitely legal in California, but we're
10:20
not one of the states listed. It says it's available to order online for Kentucky
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North Dakota, New Hampshire and D.C. only. So that's a bit of a bummer. I don't know why they
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wouldn't sell it to California. I mean, unless it has something to do with the distributors out here
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I mean, I don't know the business of it all, but I've definitely bought whiskey online from legit places
10:39
Not to mention many other places. But yeah, like Sealbox, they ship out here
10:44
So that's really interesting. Now, pricing wise, both the President's Choice and the President's Choice Rye MSRP price is $225
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I mean, that's a bit pricey. But with this being such a limited release, I've heard great things about them
10:57
Again, I've not had the chance to try them. So I'll reserve my judgment of whether that's too high of a price until I get a chance to try them, hopefully
11:03
fingers crossed. But I got to say, I do appreciate that they're branching out. They're not, you know
11:08
making it exclusive for Kentucky. I think that's one of the biggest frustrations of being a whiskey
11:12
lover or a bourbon lover, particularly on the West Coast is because there's all these distillery
11:16
only releases that just are not, you know, easy to get to. I mean, my Maker's Mark barrel is part
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of their ambassador program. You get a barrel dedicated to you when you sign up. My barrel's ready to pick up. I can pick up, you know, my bottles. Now, of course, it's just a cool
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commemorative collectible to have. But yeah, am I going to book a flight all the way out to Kentucky
11:35
to pick up my bottle of Maker's Mark? I don't think so. But again, I'm sure some people do
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Some people have the means to do so and, you know, good for them. Now, last thing I'll mention about
11:44
buying this President's Choice release at the distillery, they are going to be one bottle per
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person or a bottle set. So it sounds like you can get one of each when you're going, which I encourage
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you to if you have a chance to. Why not get them both? It'd be fun to compare them side by side
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And again, if you want to send me a sample, I would love to try it. Just kidding
12:02
But I love taking suggestions from you guys of things to review. I think that's what's going to make this podcast more fun this season is I'm going to try to be very interactive
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I'm going to try to involve the Bite Club community, which is my membership that I offer
12:14
If you've not yet heard bourbonbites.com, you can see all the details. You can see all the perks for as little as $2 a month
12:20
You can support the channel there all the way up to the $100 tier, which is my bourbon daddy
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Yes, that's a tier. Yes, it's a thing. Yes, I've had one once before. but there are plenty of other tiers at multiple different levels whatever you're comfortable with
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you're supporting not only the podcast but the channel the merch all the fun stuff i do here
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all the details at bourbonbites.com you can also support on patreon this is basically a mirrored
12:42
version of a patreon membership it's just through this website more of the support goes straight to
12:47
me so a little less of the middleman takes a cut i can also host my merch there like i said i got
12:52
some cool ideas brewing i'd love to come up with new segments of the podcast so if you ever have
12:56
suggestions for fun weekly activities let me know if you want me to set up a phone number for you
13:02
guys to call in or you want me to do with this or that kind of thing I mean I don't want to take
13:06
other ideas from other channels but I don't know I just want to do something fun with this year
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especially because I want to make sure that this is very clearly different from my live streams
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my live streams we of course like I said do the flights and do the whiskey reviews and we're still
13:19
going to review whiskey here but I want this to be about news and hot topics in the world of whiskey
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So that's my goal. We'll see how it goes. But don't go anywhere. We are going into our bite size review
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Now, this is a section where I will quickly review a whiskey. I used to do these on TikTok and Instagram
13:47
I limited it to 60 seconds then. I'm not going to be so precise this time, but I would like to give a little review to a whiskey
13:54
I do want to pull out a Buffalo Trace product since we just talked about the new Eagle Rare product
13:59
And that's one that I've not reviewed here on the podcast. So I'm talking about Rock Hill Farms
14:05
Now, this is the same mash bill that's used in blends, the same one as an Elmer T. Lee
14:09
But it's my favorite of the mash bill number two at Buffalo Trace because it comes in at
14:13
100 proof. And for some reason, it just hits the spot for me
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Now, I want to give a shout out to my friend Brandon, who helped me source this bottle
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It's been a couple of years, honestly, but I've had it on the channel when I've compared
14:25
to the other Mashable No. 2s, but I've never reviewed it here for you guys
14:29
So this time we're going to focus in on Rock Hill Farms. Let's go and get a poured
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Now, like other Mashable No. 2 bourbons, there is no age statement on this release, but each one is a single barrel
14:42
which is fun. This is I'm drinking one of the samples actually got a few years back, but I also have a bottle
14:49
and an open bottle of it. So each one is going to taste a little bit different. But we're going to let this open up a bit and let's see how it is
14:56
It's got a little bit of a yellow hue to it. So not too much color on it
15:00
That makes me think that it's potentially not that old with it being so light because it is 100 proof
15:05
And, you know, that's it's got character. It's not like it's been watered down to 80
15:09
Let's give it a nose. Oh man that classic mash bill number two I got to say of the two mash bills I find myself gravitating more towards mash bill number two in general And I think it because it comes across as more of like a honey sweet note Whereas when I try mash bill number one I do really enjoy those But to me that a different flavor profile To me those are more of a red fruit a little bit more of a hefty body to them where these feel light These feel a little floral And I don know I guess it just a mood thing
15:39
But for the most part, I typically enjoy Mashable No. 2 quite a bit better than the first one
15:44
It's interesting because on the nose, I'm getting a lot more of a baking spice than I recall having on other Mashable No. 2 products
15:52
This one is kind of giving like cinnamon sugar. Like it's almost like a cookie, maybe gingerbread
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Something in that like holiday spice kind of thing is going on here, which I really like. I don't know if I've gotten that before
16:02
Maybe it's just this barrel. These are hard to find. I mean, retail on it, it's around 50, but people sell these for several hundred dollars
16:10
on secondary. I wouldn't pay that every time I've had a chance to get it. It's been at MSRP or near it
16:15
But I think it is a great under $100 bottle. It's a fun bottle
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It's really unique. I think it's the same bottle as what is it? The Caribou Crossing, the Canadian whiskey that's by Sazerac
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I think it's the same bottle as that, but I really like it. Also, it has weird sentimental value to me for a really unrelated reason
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And my hometown is called Rock Hill, South Carolina. So when I see Rock Hill Farms, it makes me think of home
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No relation. It's not named after my town or anything, but it is kind of a nice little tribute to that
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In my head, at least. All right. I've yapped enough. Let's go ahead and give it a taste
16:49
Cheers. Hmm. OK. What this reminds me of is this is going to be weird
16:55
A donut. But but specifically a glazed donut, maybe from Krispy Kreme
17:00
to me it has that really good fresh baked kind of bread note to it but there's a sweetness there's
17:06
an outside sweetness it's like that that frosting that as soon as it hardens it gets a little flaky
17:11
but sometimes it's a little sticky when you get it freshly made oh my gosh I'm making myself hungry
17:15
but it does kind of remind me of that experience of like biting into that um that that frosting
17:20
and getting a really good baked um I guess is a yeast I think those are yeast donuts I don't know
17:28
I think I prefer them way more than like Dunkin Donuts but this is kind of what it's reminding me
17:32
of you know the more I taste it the more I think of um orchard fruits because when I guess the
17:38
vegetable number one reminds me of like red fruits like some cherry or things like that but this one
17:43
almost reminds me of like a I don't know like a pear cobbler or hmm I mean I guess it could be kind
17:50
of like an apple pie again I'm still in that same territory like I've had apple pie that have had
17:54
some glaze like icing on top. But the interesting thing is, even though it has that sweetness
17:59
there's a good oak note in the background. Not overwhelming. It doesn't taste like, you know
18:04
either young oak, which is what I always say is comes from a lot of craft whiskeys or heavily
18:09
saturated oak, which I give things like a Knob Creek 18 year. It's not that, but it has a good
18:14
backbone. I think it helps that sweetness be less intense and it really helps mellow out the whiskey
18:19
I really think this mash bill is one of the most approachable ones in the world of bourbon
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And it's got a little bit of rice spice. So I think if you're afraid of that, you might be a little turned off by it
18:29
I just wish it was more available because they are hard to find. I wish they had a more accessible version of them
18:35
Now, technically, Agent Age is the same Nashville, but it's on the low, low end
18:39
It's going to be some of their well, one, it's lower proof to it's some of their younger stock
18:44
So I don't necessarily think that's a fair comparison. I think you got to go with at least Blanton's or Hancock's Reserve to really appreciate this Nashville
18:50
I just feel like they should have a more budget entry level Nashville version because I think of Buffalo Trace and I think of Eagle Rare kind of not really entry level, but not just the bottom shelf stuff
19:02
But they really have good bourbons for forty dollars and under. Shoot, instead of making an Eagle Rare 12 year, I wish they would have made something like the Buffalo Trace level of Nashville
19:12
Number two, honestly, I think of the of the Nashville number two, the one that's the least interesting to me is Hancock's Reserve
19:18
I can see them pricing that down to a more affordable price, maybe making it a bit younger
19:24
I just I think there should be an entry level version of Mashable number two. And as far as I'm aware, there's not really a way to do it unless you get lucky and find some blends or are willing to drink an ancient age
19:34
So that's my thoughts on Rock Hill Farms. Thank you all so much for listening to this first episode of season two
19:40
If you have recommendations on what I should do next, please let me know. I'm going to record these every Monday or Tuesday
19:46
haven't quite picked the day that these are going to come out yet i put up a poll on bourbonbites.com
19:52
asking my bite club members what they prefer so we'll see later this week when this comes out but
19:58
i hope to keep it consistent i hope to keep it short but most of all i hope to keep it
20:02
entertaining for you guys so let me know what you think cheers i'll talk to you guys next episode
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