I hope you’ve enjoyed my journey through the bourbon Advent calendar my brother gave me for my birthday. It was a truly thoughtful gift from him because he curated it from his personal collection.
This five-day stretch was the most fun, as I think you’ll see from the selections. Four of the five were brand new to me, and the one I had already tasted was still a treat. Without further ado, let’s roll into the second-to-last entry in our series.
December 16: E.H. Taylor Small Batch
100 proof, mash bill: Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill #1, which is 89.5% corn, 7% rye, and 3.5% malted barley, according to Taste Select Repeat.
Retails ~$100
This is one that excited me when I saw it. We’re talking about one of the most respected names in bourbon! E.H. Taylor has been something special for a long time.
When I try it neat, the peppery heat is what I notice first. But the butterscotch sweetness and oaky finish come through in the right order.
Ice softens the heat and makes the sweetness feel more like a honey-toffee. This is one of those rare bourbons that might be better neat than on the rocks for me.
Rating: 9/10
Related: Whiskey Wednesday: My Bourbon Advent Calendar, Part 1
December 17: Creature Comforts Glory Glory
100 proof, and I couldn’t find the mash bill.
It’s sold out, so there’s no retail price for it.
Creature Comforts is an Athens, Ga., based brewery, and it released a limited edition bourbon celebrating the University of Georgia. It was so limited that I never got a shot at a bottle, so it was a treat to get to try it.
Sipping it neat, the primary notes I get are fig and honey with a little bit of biscuit. The heat is exactly what you would expect from a 100-proof bourbon.
When I added ice, the heat didn’t abate. Instead, the grain-forward notes came through more prominently. It’s remarkably rich and flavorful, and I wish I had more opportunities to enjoy it.
Rating: 10/10 (And not just because it’s from Athens. But Go Dawgs!)
Related: Whiskey Wednesday: My Bourbon Advent Calendar, Part 2
December 18: ASW Distillery Back to Back: National Championship Fiddler Georgia Heartwood Bourbon
114 proof, mash bill: 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley
It was a limited edition, so there’s no retail price for it.
Y’all — my brother hooked me up with two limited-edition Georgia Bulldogs-inspired bourbons. This one came to play for keeps; it was a special run to honor UGA’s back-to-back national championships in football.
Neat, the heat in this one comes through with a vengeance, like Nakobe Dean. Once that initial rush settles, a rich sweetness shows up like a Kenny McIntosh touchdown run. The main notes are vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Adding ice brings balance. The heat and sweetness even out, the oak steps forward, and everything smooths into place like a Stetson Bennett touchdown strike to Ladd McConkey. It makes me want to pull out my DVDs of the 2022 season and watch every moment of that historic season again.
Rating: 22/10 in honor of the 2022 National Championship
Related: Whiskey Wednesday: My Bourbon Advent Calendar, Part 3
December 19: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
94 proof, mash bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley*
Retails for $55-$65
After several days of new adventures, it was time for another familiar bourbon, and Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel was just the ticket.
It tastes like a crème brûlée cooked over a campfire when I sip it neat. Back in October, I described it as “almost a s’mores flavor without chocolate.” That tracks now.
On the rocks, the sweetness becomes more prominent. It’s more even and less smoky. But it’s still damn good.
Rating: 9.5/10
*This is Heaven Hill’s “regular” mash bill, and Heaven Hill doesn’t put mash bills on the labels.
December 20: Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Bottled-in-Bond
100 proof, mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley
Retails ~$60-80
Tonight’s pick is a classic that I can’t believe I’ve never tried. But there’s a first time for everything, so here we go.
Tasting it neat gives me a lush sweetness — think vanilla and brown sugar. Then I notice the patented bottled-in-bond heat, which is appealing, with notes of wintergreen and oak. It’s actually really velvety neat.
Trying it on the rocks rounds out the spice, while keeping it front and center. But ice also brings the sweetness front and center. It’s easy to see why it’s a favorite of so many.
Rating: 10/10
