Everson Royce Old Weller 107

Everson Royce, in Pasadena, had a Henry McKenna that I really liked so I was interested to try their pick of an Old Weller 107.

Old Weller 107, Barrel #07-L-20-L-2-66 (for Everson Royce), 53.5% abv ($29.50)

The nose has some nice woody notes. The palate is rich and chewy with some strawberry and red wine notes.  It's got some nice oak that carries into the finish along with some of the strawberry. Very nice stuff.

Tasting side by side with a standard, off the shelf Weller 107, the Everson Royce pick is richer and more complex with more oak notes. I definitely prefer it to the standard expression, which is pretty good in its own right. These guys seem to make good picks when it comes to private barrels.

Henry McKenna from Everson Royce

Today, I'll taste a bottle of Heaven Hill's Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond Bourbon bottled for Everson Royce in Pasadena.

Henry McKenna BIB 10 year old Single Barrel, Barrel 6386, 50% abv ($28.50)

The nose on this is really great with caramel and oak.  It reminds me of the nose on the old Elijah Craig 18 year olds.   The palate follows through well; it starts with that nice sweet/oaky balance, and then turns nicely spicy and earthy which is what sticks around into the finish.

This stuff is just really good bourbon. It's complex and rich, elements that are lacking in so many of today's bourbons.  Heaven Hill clearly still has some wonderful barrels in its massive warehouse.

The Whiskey Jug blog recently asked a number of whiskey fans (myself included) what they wanted to see from the whiskey industry.  Most of the answers boiled down to good product at a reasonable price with honest information and no gimmicks or inflated back stories.  Well, here's a prime example.  At a time of the year when people are searching the world over for the privilege of overpaying for a single bottle of Pappy or BTAC, it's comforting to know that you can walk into a liquor store today, pay less than $30, and go home with a great bottle of bourbon.

Disclaimer:  The sample I tasted was given to me by someone who is not affiliated with Everson Royce or Heaven Hill but who received a free sample from the store.