Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Little Drummer Boy: Johnny Drum Private Stock
Johnny Drum is a Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) product. KBD is, of course, and independent bottler, so we don't know the source of this whiskey other than it is Kentucky Bourbon. There are two expressions, regular and Private Stock. The Private Stock is higher proof and more readily available. Previously a 15 year old bourbon, the current Private Stock has no age statement.
Johnnie Drum Private Stock, 50.5% abv ($35)
The nose comes on sweet. There's a bit of a smoky char, like burnt wood. Then there are some briny notes and some peanut notes (like a Payday bar); it's a good start. The palate, though, is quite light and lacks any of the nose's more complex notes. There are some light maple syrup notes (more Log Cabin than the real stuff) and some of those peanut notes from the nose. Like most non-Willett offerings from KBD, I find this pretty underwhelming. There are a lot better bourbons to be had for the price.
A KBD Kentucky bourbon can be from any distillery or any combination of Kentucky distilleries, but based on taste, I would guess that Brown Forman supplies a fair amount of this one.
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6 comments:
I have an unopened bottle of this in a 12 year old expressions.
I wonder if the 12 and 15 year olds are also BF. I hope not!
-Dustin
So Sku, based on your comments, you aren't a fan of Rowan's Creek or Noah's Mill either?
Weller_tex, I looked at a few of their bourbons, includings Rowan's Creek here. I'm not a huge fan. A Noah's Mill write up will be forthcoming.
I got a bottle of the NAS private stock, and I find it sligtly "sulphured". Its not the sulphurness found (often) in sherry casked single malts, its more a meaty, ashy kind of sulphur. (No rotten eggs or rubber). I am retasting it again right now I can't pick it up, maybe its gone since I opened the bottle 2 months ago or the note is just so faint I cant find it again, even looking for it...
Yeah, this one is certainly not my favorite. Like you sku, I have been underwhelmed by all KBD stuff minus some Willetts.
Man, the last one of these I had (about two years ago) I enjoyed immensely, and ordered another from a friend headed to KY recently. Will have to be a bit more analytical this time around, but then again, taste is subjective like little else!
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