Town Branch Bourbon

[Ejmharris]

Does anyone know if the stuff inside the bottle is their whiskey? I thought they had sourced whiskey to at least start the brand but wasn't sure if it has switched to their distillate.

Mike

[tmckenzie]

I am pretty sure they made that whiskey. It is different enough to be. Pots make different bourbon. I had another taste of it over Christmas and I still say I like it.

[Clavius]

I tried Town Branch again recently. First time I had it, when it initially came out, it just tasted harsh and awful. This time however it tasted much better. More like bourbon rather than Irish whiskey. Still not something I'd buy but I'm glad that it seems to have gotten better.

[squire]

A couple thousand years ago the poet Martial wrote about a lady's golden yellow hair . . .

"She swears it's her's and true she swears cause I know where she bought it."

Of course it's their whisky, they bought it, they own it. How old is the whisky, how long have the stills been running. Do the math guys.

[MyOldKyDram]

So has anyone tried their new rye yet, or is it our Lexingtonian duty to guinea pig this one?

[tanstaafl2]

So has anyone tried their new rye yet, or is it our Lexingtonian duty to guinea pig this one?

Clearly it is a matter of civic pride that you locals do the honors! Especially considering the other products produced to this point...

I never have quite figured out if the bourbon was produced with 2 different mashbills and the one that seemed to be less "appreciated" was one of the two mashbills. Rumor seemed to be that one mashbill was high in malted(?) barley while the other (current one) is a more standard mashbill.

[MyOldKyDram]

I wish there was pride involved. I would love for these guys to produce something, anything good. They have this and a new barrelaged Barleywine coming out. And I'm sure they will both suck.

[Paddy]

I wish there was pride involved. I would love for these guys to produce something, anything good. They have this and a new barrelaged Barleywine coming out. And I'm sure they will both suck.

[MyOldKyDram]

You got it, Paddy!

I'd bite the bullet myself if it were priced along with their bourbon, but at $50? Yikes. Hell. I may still grab one tomorrow. I really do want these guys to be something I can support. Just hasn't happened yet.

[Ejmharris]

The barrel aged Barleywine has me more interested than any thing else they do.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MyOldKyDram]

Me too, but at $17 a four pack they are pricing themselves into elite category.

[the scofflaw]

i've got some of the barleywine in my fridge. not very good. it's kind of interesting but mostly tastes like a more bitter and funky version of the bourbon barrel ale, not enough of the bourbon barrel sweetness to balance out a pretty mediocre barleywine. i also didn't think the bourbon barrel stout was any good, just a below-average take on what is a pretty good idea in theory.

[Paddy]

I tried to find the rye today, but the monger said it'll be sometime next week...

[Limegoldconvertible68]

Is it time for a revisit on this one?  The comments in this thread are pretty much 5 yrs old.  Did it get any better?  I see it on the shelf in a few stores and can't bring myself to try it after such atrocious comments.  Any way to tell if the bottle I'm seeing are newer or have they been sitting there since 2011. 

[Paddy]

I like the rye.  The bourbon...well, let me know what you think.

[mosugoji64]

Tried the bourbon at a store sampling several years ago and at that time it had a strong cereal note and a bit of copper penny that struck me as similar to WR.  Not bad but not something I wanted to take home. Haven't tried it since. 

[Paddy]

^^^^^Those similarities are not by coincidence, as both utilize pot stills.  Pearse Lyons is also a native of Ireland, so his influence (and training) leads to a grainier profile for his whiskeys (IMO).  He's quite an interesting character, who seems to have dabbled in a bit of everything...

[mosugoji64]

11 hours ago, Paddy said:

^^^^^Those similarities are not by coincidence, as both utilize pot stills.  Pearse Lyons is also a native of Ireland, so his influence (and training) leads to a grainier profile for his whiskeys (IMO).  He's quite an interesting character, who seems to have dabbled in a bit of everything...

 

Good to know, Paddy! Thank you. Now it makes sense. And I didn't find those qualities off-putting at all. It was just so similar to WR that I didn't feel the need to schlep home a bottle of TB when WR is so easily obtained.  I would like to get over there for a tour next time we're in KY. We've wanted to get over there but just haven't managed it during our visits so far.

Edited January 2, 2017 by mosugoji64

[Harry in WashDC]

Today is Wednesday, 8 February 2017.  At a local restaurant we frequent, a brand new bottle of Town Branch sat between "my" KC and "my" basic BT.  So, I had a neat pour of TB along with dinner.  I had trouble reading all the fine print on the Alltech Lexington Distilling & Brewing Co, Lexington, KY, label, so I could not find an age statement or the word "straight", and I did not see the word "blend" or "blended" or the phrase "Distilled in . . ." (BUT, it was pretty dark in there, and the print was tiny, so . . .)

 

Given its somewhat grainy tones in spite of a website-stated mash bill of 72% corn, 13% rye, and 15% malted barley (distilled in a pot still????), I'd guess that it is under 4 years old but more than 3.  At 80 proof, it is not really thin, considering, and it does have some traces of caramel and brown sugar notes but very little wood.

 

I'll wait for the "straight" and "four years" words to appear, but when they do, I will pick one up.  Until then, the occasional pour when I want an 80 proofer in a bar, I'll not turn TB down.

 

[OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel]

Today is Wednesday, 8 February 2017.  At a local restaurant we frequent, a brand new bottle of Town Branch sat between "my" KC and "my" basic BT.  So, I had a neat pour of TB along with dinner.  I had trouble reading all the fine print on the Alltech Lexington Distilling & Brewing Co, Lexington, KY, label, so I could not find an age statement or the word "straight", and I did not see the word "blend" or "blended" or the phrase "Distilled in . . ." (BUT, it was pretty dark in there, and the print was tiny, so . . .)
 
Given its somewhat grainy tones in spite of a website-stated mash bill of 72% corn, 13% rye, and 15% malted barley (distilled in a pot still????), I'd guess that it is under 4 years old but more than 3.  At 80 proof, it is not really thin, considering, and it does have some traces of caramel and brown sugar notes but very little wood.
 
I'll wait for the "straight" and "four years" words to appear, but when they do, I will pick one up.  Until then, the occasional pour when I want an 80 proofer in a bar, I'll not turn TB down.
 

Town Branch is distilled here in Lexington, Kentucky. I have not cared much for the tastes that I have had of it, but it is a young bourbon.
I haven't tried it, but friends of mine have enjoyed Town Branch's Pearse Lyons Reserve Whiskey (an American single malt).
The city of Lexington has embraced Town Branch and AllTech Brewing, so I am hoping that the bourbon gets better as the distillery gets older. In the meantime, I think their bourbon is too pricey for the taste.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Harry in WashDC]

5 hours ago, OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel said:

Town Branch is distilled here in Lexington, Kentucky. I have not cared much for the tastes that I have had of it, but it is a young bourbon.
I haven't tried it, but friends of mine have enjoyed Town Branch's Pearse Lyons Reserve Whiskey (an American single malt).
The city of Lexington has embraced Town Branch and AllTech Brewing, so I am hoping that the bourbon gets better as the distillery gets older. In the meantime, I think their bourbon is too pricey for the taste.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

Agree on the TB price for the current 80 proof.  Thanks for the TB Pearse comment.  I'm not a single malt whisky fan (well, I do have a couple of bottles of  Michael Collins in the bunker), but some relatives are, and they sometimes ask me if I've seen comments on the whiskey blogs I read about any American versions.  And, I'm still interested in at least one bottle of the TB when it is older.  Or maybe a shot or two just for research purposes.

[Paddy]

^^^^ Harry,  If you can find a bar pour, I recommend the rye.  Pot still influence is there, but it's a tasty young rye, and I enjoy it!  

 

Due to the price, a taste, before a bottle purchase, is the way to go. 

[CardsandBourbon]

I recently purchased a bottle of TB based on the recommendation of the whiskey guy at Liquor Barn.  I sort of agree with most everyone else.  There is some caramel in it, not very oakey, it's just . . . there.  Not a bad pour but just doesn't seem to have the body of others.  Wouldn't pour it down the drain but if someone at the house wanted a bourbon and coke, this is the bottle I would hand them.

[OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel]

I was at a bourbon party with several employees from Town Branch / AllTech. When I got around to drinking Town Branch, I was over a dozen pours of bourbon / Rye in the wind, so I couldn't reflect much on the taste. Here one of the employees posing with a bottle.


Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[charleymcguffin]

I had my first taste of the Town Branch bourbon in McCann's bar beside the new Pearse Lyon's distillery in Dublin a few weeks ago. I was going to try the new Pearse Irish whiskey, but as this is for the most part sourced,I decided to try the Town Branch. To say that I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. I have tasted Poitin that seemed older than this and over here it is very pricey. I certainly would not buy a bottle. My immediate thought ,was to wonder on what stills was this made, on the Forsyth stills which are used presently or on the  Vendome stills  that initiated production. These Vendome stills were transported to Ireland and installed in the new distillery. If the quality of the end product is anything like Town Branch, I for one will be giving it a miss.