Closet Cleanout! High Wire Bourbon Jack Rose Pick, King's Wheated Bourbon, Wilderness Trail Jack Rose Pick Reviews
Background
It’s been a while since I’ve done something like this, almost 2 years in fact. In that ode to the omitted, my initial positioning was much harsher. I’ll be honest, these I just kind of… forgot about. So this will be my fable to the forgotten, the cleansing of my closet consciousness. One of these bottles, the King’s County, was even regifted to me by a friend to drink at my leisure. This poor bottle is now twice neglected! There is one, primary connection between these three bottles- they all have OBNOXIOUSLY long names, especially when you include the pick names, which of course I now must in order to hammer this point home. Other than that, there’s a bit of a vendiagram-esque link between bottles. The Wilderness Trail and King’s are both wheated. The High Wire and Wilderness Trail are both Jack Rose picks. Other than that the main reason I’m doing this is that I totally forgot they existed, so I’ll get to reviewing.
Wilderness Trail “Little Rickhouse on the Berry” Jack Rose Bourbon Pick (4 Years, 112.4 Proof)
Nose: Fresh berries and powdered sugar. Jack Rose’s notes also call out Maple Syrup, which I agree with though moreso after the pour has been left out to open up.
Palate: Here I get more of the maple syrup. Delicate strawberries and cinnamon. It’s a bit hotter on the palate then it’s 112 proof.
Finish: Muddled mint is what I’m getting most. It has a very herbal, almost menthol finish. Hints of cloves and anise.
Good to Very Good (5.5/10)
Overall: This is their wheated mashbill, and I love Wilderness Trail but I just can’t get behind their wheated mashbill that often. This pick is no major exception. I like it, but that’s about as far as I go. It’s definitely the most interesting set of notes I’ve had from a Wilderness Trail wheated, which speaks to Jack Rose’s ability to find deliciously offbeat barrels. But it’s possible it spends a bit more time back in the closet before I revisit it again.
New Southern Revival Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Premier Drams 2022” Jack Rose Pick (2 Years, 113.9 Proof)
Nose: Apple strudel, pie crust, bit of an ethanol harshness. The sweet fruity notes mostly prevail over the ethanol… mostly.
Palate: It’s a similar balance on the palate. A nice bit of fruitiness, juicy apple pie. Complete with cinnamon and a slightly doughy bake. But again, a slight uneven harshness persists.
Finish: I hate to keep banging the same drum, but this is nothing if not consistent. Aftereffects of baking spices and orchard fruit (me seeking to write apple pie and spices a slightly different way), and some wood astringency.
Sub-par (4/10)
Overall: It’s just not there yet. There’s absolutely hints of a solid whiskey here but I just think the two years shows. I suspect even at four years this will be significantly improved. I get Jack Rose’s fascination with this brand… I’m just not yet sold until I get to taste them at a better age.
King’s Family Distillery Wheated Bourbon Dixie Lee Wine & Liquors Pick (NAS, 115.5)
Nose: Cream puffs, white peaches, bright orchard fruits and vanilla flavors.
Palate: Caramel delites, vanilla pudding, and sweet stone fruit. There is also a bit of mint.
Finish: An interesting, sour candy type note hangs around, though maybe it’s more a sensation than a note. A puckering of the palate. Fairly short and not too complicated.
Good (5/10)
Overall: Yeah it’s fine. There just isn’t a lot of depth to it, but it’s a perfectly acceptable sipping whiskey. In a way, it has a classic bourbon profile. Many caramel and vanilla flavors, along with a fun splash of fruit. Not very complicated, but still, interesting enough. I wish I had more to say but this is, to me, a 0 WAR bourbon. A league average player.
