BOTM 2/09: Hancock's Reserve

[kickert]

So has anyone ever even had this to write a review on it for BOTM?

[Blitz]

I checked Binny's friday night and it was $49.00. I wanted to buy it because it is BOTM, but nobody has posted a compelling reason to shell out that kind of dough. I went with ETL instead.

[Virus_Of_Life]

See VBT#63 for some good tasting notes, I couldn't describe it any better: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...ead.php?t=7275

As mentioned the price on this one varies greatly, and yes Ben Liquor Barn did a private barrel of it. At the sampler last year I brough a bottle to the gazebo, it was on sale at the time for $28 I believe which was the best price I'd ever seen on it. Unfortunately they didn't make a very good choice on their barrel, the flavors were just too mellow for my taste, but if it was still under $30 I'd say it's worth it.

When originally issued it was in a nice little tube almost identical to the WT Tribute and a slighty different bottle, label and had an insert describing the single barrel bourbon. I have 1 bottle from the original days, but lost the tube and insert in one of my many moves; otherwise I'd post a picture.

This one is very different from the typical flavor profile of Buffalo Trace bourbons IMO.

[jburlowski]

See also:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...hlight=HANCOCK

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...hlight=HANCOCK

[kickert]

See also:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...hlight=HANCOCK

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...hlight=HANCOCK

well hell... lets just post links to prior tastings for all our bourbons of the month.

[Sorry for the smart ass reply in advance]

It is telling few are talking about the flavor here.

[booniesville]

I was able to try some this weekend and was very impressed. The first hit is alcohol which seems to evaporate quickly, followed by sweet rye/ripe fruit notes and finishing with a long vanilla/oak flavor that is not over powering. A couple drops of water mellowed the alcohol and brought out more of the rye/fruit. It does seem to have a different flavor profile from the other BT offerings, but very enjoyable. A nice change of pace but perhaps not strong enough to be an every day pore. Does any one know why it is 88.9 proof? Seems a bit random.

[kickert]

I never understood why BT had 3 bourbon offerings from their high rye mashbill in the $40-60 range, but none from their low rye mashbill.

[funknik]

I saw this for $45 at Julio's this weekend and wanted to get it because I haven't been able to participate in a BOTM yet, but just wasn't going to shell out the dough when I already have a Julio's RHF & ETL....this can't be that different.

[Luna56]

Hancock's President's Reserve was the bourbon that got me into bourbon in the first place. This was a couple of years ago at a bar in Lexington. My prior bourbon experience was with JB and OGD. The most I knew about bourbon back in the '70's is that it could just wreck ya quickly. I stopped caring about that and stopped drinking most whiskies altogether for a very long time.

When an acquaintance in Lexington professed to be a bourbon fanatic I asked him to suggest something, I was willing to give it a second chance. Out came the Hancock's and I was sold. While my impression now might be radically different than it was then, I found it to be deep, rich and mellow. Truly an eye-opener for one who had basically dismissed bourbon as something to light the charcoal grill with.

If I could find another bottle here in NH I'd buy it out of sheer gratitude. It's made me think a lot more highly about the bourbons I've dismissed before. It made me consider that somebody busted their ass to make the whiskey I casualy dismissed before. I've taken a few trips to the bottom shelf and realized that in a snowstorm here in the north, any bourbon is better than any other spirit. We Americans make the best whiskey and the best guitars, ever. Hancock's President's Reserve was the doorway for me, and I'll always be respectful of that.

Buy a bottle if you can. If you don't like it, send it to me. I will euthanize it with the proper dignity.

Cheers!

[nor02lei]

Got my first bottle open and I must say that it is no typically BT bourbon to me. Very light and elegant with honey sweetness under the crisp taste witch I cant describe. Maybe it is tropical fruits as Christian suggested. . It do actually remind me much more of I.W. Harper 12 than any BT brand.
I thought it was far to light at first and it still is light, but it has grown on me and I think it is completely ok as a aperitif when I don’t want anything heavy.

Leif