Tasting Notes: Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon

This post sponsored by the Glencairn Whisky Glass

The Jeptha Creed Distillery has been distilling for over two years now. This will be their first release of a straight Bourbon. It is a four grain Bourbon using the Bloody Butcher corn, malted wheat, malted rye and malted barley. It has been aged in both 53 gallon barrels and smaller 30 gallon barrels. I think that Joyce Nethery, the distiller and owner, has done a great job with this whiskey. It really does create a flavor profile that is truly her own Bourbon. This Bourbon needed its own package to help set it apart from other products on the shelf, so Joyce and family had a bottle made for it. The embossing represents the tree of life with its roots in limestone water and Bloody Butcher corn.

The Nethery family has done a great job with their first release of a straight Bourbon. It should be on the shelves by the end of May. Of course you can also get a bottle at the gift shop at the distillery beginning sometime in May. It is well worth the trip to Shelbyville, Ky. to visit the distillery and to purchase a bottle.

Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon

Proof: 98

Age: 2 years old.

Nose: Corn, vanilla, orange peel, baking spices and oak.

Taste: Corn, orange peel, nutmeg and allspice with a bit of vanilla with a hint of caramel and oak. Tasted with a dried cranberry and it takes the spice out of the Bourbon and adds sweet cherry and dates notes. Tasted with a pecan and the orange zest comes out strong and the vanilla takes a step forward in the flavor.

Finish: Long and dry with oak and spice but there is a lingering sweetness in the background that may be honey or caramel. The cranberry made the finish much shorter and sweeter. The pecan brought out some leather notes and the orange zest combined with the oak making it a dry finish.

I have chosen an Oliva Serie O Maduro to pair with this Bourbon. I find the smoke to be mild tobacco with a little vanilla and cedar spice but not overly strong. The Bourbon brought out some baking spices in the smoke while the smoke enhanced the orange zest and vanilla while lengthening the finish of the Bourbon. I enjoyed the pairing but I think I was a little too conservative on the cigar and I may have to try it again with something a little more full bodied in flavor. The Bourbon, even though young, holds it own with the cigar.