Meeting Results – Battle of the Bourbons (Land vs. Sea) - July 1, 2023
The July meeting of the Proof & Bond Society featured two bourbon selections that boasted very different lifecycles. One, a standard barrel aged bourbon; the other, a bourbon sent on a sea voyage during aging. Below we have a summary of the results of those tastings and the cumulative average scores of all of our members.
Redemption Bourbon
Proof:
88 Proof | 44% ABV
Age:
>2 Years
Distillery:
MGP (Bottled in Bardstown)
presenter:
Brian J. Roan
Reception:
Our first drink for the evening was a land-based bourbon that presenter Brian J. Roan chose for its history with him. This was a go-to for him before he became a distiller, and the reaction to it bore out why that might be. There was a general agreement that this was an incredibly baseline bourbon. It was, according to a few of our members, a completely platonic idea of a bourbon. This made it not disagreeable, but also meant it didn’t make too much of a splash. Two drops of water diluted it enough to make it unpalatable, which means the present cut is pretty much perfect. With a soft spice and notes of corn and a pleasant bite but no lingering impression, this was deemed to be a perfect go-to for Coke or ginger ale.
Final Rating: 3.2
Proof:
90 Proof | 45% ABV
Age:
>2 years
Reception:
The quirk of being aged at sea is pretty much just that—a quirk. It’s a little anecdotal note that doesn’t really lead to too much of a difference in taste but does add a bit of value just in terms of storytelling. Our society enjoyed the toffee and caramel behind the corn and the longer linger on the flavor, but what we kept coming back to was the story. When we sit down with a drink with friends, we are looking to make a connection and share something meaningful. Being able to hold up a glass of bourbon and say “This traveled from Australia to Japan to…” has a value to it. This was an above-average rated bourbon that justifies it’s superior-level cost through its value as an artifact to gather around.
