Black Bourbon Cleveland Whiskey

[squire]

This whisky is so immature you could get arrested for flirting with it.

[ThirstyinOhio]

This whisky is so immature you could get arrested for flirting with it.

lol.... Be careful, Chris Hansen might be lurking around the corner.

[Evargas]

Cleveland Whiskey Batch 001 (3/1/13). Well here they are the tasting notes. Its not pretty.

This is a special process whiskey that claims to attain the flavor profile that is as good if not better than most 10-12 year aged whiskey. Based on their claims this whiskey falls way short.

Nose: Ethanol(alcohol). Past that nothing but sawdust, old wet wood. None of the notes that you would expect from an oak aged whiskey especially one that claims to be better that one aged 10-12 years. No sweet note or spice notes.

Tastes: At a 100 proof it’s a high alcohol entry but manageable. Then citrus pith, Iodine/soapy. No sweet note jumps out. No vanilla, no honey, no butterscotch, no maples syrup. These you would expect in a highly aged bourbon. The finish is slightly peppery. This first real spice note you get. No other spices that one would expect to find in a bourbon.

Watered: Watering does nothing for this other than to water it down. There are no hidden flavors hiding behind proof.

Overall Impression: The label say that the whiskey rested 6 months in charred oak prior to its processing and it taste like it. This is still simply a young whiskey with very little flavor. I am very disappointed. I was really hoping that this would be good but I have to follow my palate. Dress: .7(Out of 2), Nose: .3(Out of 3), Taste 1.0 (Out of 5) It’s a dreadful 2 out of 10. Sorry Cleveland Whiskey.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bourbon-Enthusiasts-Lounge/209500935773295

Edited March 15, 2013 by Evargas

[squire]

No surprises there unfortunately.

[rndenks]

I agree with you Evargas. As a fellow Clevelander I was hoping for more. Not so much to revolutionize the industry, but more so to have something good and unique from Cleveland. Well at least we still have our sports teams to do that...oh wait

[ohiobourbon]

... something good and unique from Cleveland ...

At risk of straying off topic, would any SB folks be interested in participating in a Tom's Foolery Bourbon and Rye tasting? I could host it at the distillery. We have not released any whiskey yet, so it would be a "working session."

[Evargas]

rndnenks, I'm disappointed in this whole thing especially the marketing end. I've watch these huckster like tastings that are just down right hilarious if they wouldn't insult your intelligence. Have you seen this one.http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=286506

I love how he has the female host eat chocolate BEFORE tasting!! What??? Then has them drink is whiskey after the Knob Creek without cleansing the palate. He is essentially washing their palate with his whiskey. How about a real tasting with private note cards and seasoned tasters and time in between samples. A non-whiskey drinker is not going to pick up on this. This is why I call it hucksterism. At $35.00 I can walk into the liquor store and walk out with 20 whiskey/whiskies half that price and ten times better tasting.

I really chafe over the marketing of this. Plus I think someone else might of said it. His process is not rapid aging its merely infusion.

As to our sports teams at least there we get to start over next year and there is hope that it can get better but this bill of goods it is difficult to swallow. I'll continue to buy the majority of my whiskey/whisky from Kentucky and Scotland thank you.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Evargas

[Evargas]

I'm in!! I'm a big fan of the way Tom's Foolery are conducting business. Plus I would love to taste what is coming off that Mitcher's old still. Contact me off list my email is available.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Evargas

[callmeox]

At risk of straying off topic, would any SB folks be interested in participating in a Tom's Foolery Bourbon and Rye tasting? I could host it at the distillery. We have not released any whiskey yet, so it would be a "working session."

I would love to revisit your place to see the changes. Maybe we can meet at Subway across the steet from our offices for lunch to discuss the particulars.

If you want we can start a new thread to pick a date.

[ohiobourbon]

I would love to revisit your place to see the changes.

[rndenks]

At risk of straying off topic, would any SB folks be interested in participating in a Tom's Foolery Bourbon and Rye tasting? I could host it at the distillery. We have not released any whiskey yet, so it would be a "working session."

[MacinJosh]

Cleveland Bourbon, Batch #1, 100 proof

Nose: Pungent wood. Spray paint, sawdust, and wood glue. Table varnish with a touch of dry cedar. Am I in a wood shop?

Taste: Raw, green, and vegetal right up front. An awful, chemical presence. Fingernail polish remover and paint thinner. Hot and full of ethanol for only 100 proof. A touch of pine and cedar. Notes of new make are evident throughout but pungent bark and fresh cut wood dominate. Unfortunately, these two undesirable notes don't cancel each other out.

Finish: Lingering chemical compounds. Caulking glue and silicone. Short (thankfully) and dissipates quickly.

Rating: One of the worst bourbons I have ever had second only to Wyoming Bourbon Batch #4. Loads of terrible chemical notes and overbearing, young wood. It's not often I would turn down a pour of bourbon, but add this one to that short list. Truly abysmal. Score is a 63.

Willy Wonka can keep his "secret process" behind the curtain for all I care.

[MyOldKyDram]

Man, you got my mouth watering over here. :slappin:

[j1mmyj4m]

Cleveland Bourbon, Batch #1, 100 proof

Nose: Pungent wood. Spray paint, sawdust, and wood glue. Table varnish with a touch of dry cedar. Am I in a wood shop?

Taste: Raw, green, and vegetal right up front. An awful, chemical presence. Fingernail polish remover and paint thinner. Hot and full of ethanol for only 100 proof. A touch of pine and cedar. Notes of new make are evident throughout but pungent bark and fresh cut wood dominate. Unfortunately, these two undesirable notes don't cancel each other out.

Finish: Lingering chemical compounds. Caulking glue and silicone. Short (thankfully) and dissipates quickly.

Rating: One of the worst bourbons I have ever had second only to Wyoming Bourbon Batch #4. Loads of terrible chemical notes and overbearing, young wood. It's not often I would turn down a pour of bourbon, but add this one to that short list. Truly abysmal. Score is a 63.

Willy Wonka can keep his "secret process" behind the curtain for all I care.

I cracked up at work reading this.

[squire]

Good one Sean. . . . . .

[BAO]

I open this thread with much anticipation each time it gets bumped. That review definitely did not disappoint.

[MyOldKyDram]

This review needs to be posted on their Facebook page. Those folks are loving the stuff.

[MacinJosh]

Sorry to disappoint guys but it's truly awful stuff. I call it like I taste it. Get your hands on a pour and you'll see what I mean. I dumped half my sample down the drain. :-/

[squire]

Well I suppose the Malort drinkers would like it.

[luther.r]

Score is a 63.

[cowdery]

I wondered about that too. What's it take to get a 62?

[ThirstyinOhio]

Even with it being a very bad bourbon, the stuff is still flying off the shelves here in north east Ohio. I would like to add that apparently I need to start sampling various products in my garage so that I can start to pick up flavors such as caulking glue and silicone.

[BAO]

Well I suppose the Malort drinkers would like it.

HEY NOW that's giving Malort a bad name.

[callmeox]

I received a sample of this but I have not had the guts to try it yet. Sounds like I'll need to keep a skunk handy or something else to lick to get the taste of the whiskey out of my mouth.

[cowdery]

I worry that non-bourbon drinkers will think that's what bourbon tastes like and never touch bourbon again. On the other hand, screw 'em. They paid their money and took their chance.