Tasting Notes – Redemption Wheated Bourbon

This post sponsored by the Glencairn Whisky Glass

I have always liked the whiskeys bottled by Redemption Barrel Selection. They have never claimed to be a distillery and are quite open to the fact that they purchase their whiskeys from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. I am not sure who is actually doing the selections of their barrels, but whomever it is, I tip my hat to you. They always have very good whiskey in their bottles, so whoever is making those selections, has a great palate as far as I am concerned. This bottle is no exception.

The label is full of good information for those who are interested in knowing more about what they are drinking. The mash bill, 51% corn, 45% winter wheat, 4% malted barley, is on the front label. This is batch #2 and bottled at 96 proof. On the back label they state clearly that it is distilled in Indiana and that the whiskey is at least four years old. They also state quite clearly that they bottle the whiskey. It is a very good whiskey, and they are proud of what they put into the bottle.

Redemption Wheated Bourbon

Proof: 96

Age: 4 Years Old

Nose: Vanilla and lots of it, ripe apples, hazelnuts and oak.

Taste: Vanilla, tart apples, baking spices – predominately nutmeg and cinnamon, with some dry oak wood. When tasted with a dried cranberry, a buttered toffee note comes forward that works well with the apple and cinnamon. Tasted with a pecan and the taste becomes more vanilla than caramel with little or no fruit and lots of oak and spice.

Finish: Long and dry with oak and red hot cinnamon candy. The cranberry reduced the oak and made the spice stronger on the finish. The pecan actually made the finish very short and kind of boring with only a little oak wood.

I am pairing this Bourbon with a Drew Estate Corona Pequena shade wrapper cigar. I find the smoke to be earthy with dried grass, tobacco and dried fruit sweetness. The Bourbon enhanced the fruit notes of the smoke and added a little cedar spice note. The smoke made the Bourbon a little drier with a note of dark chocolate in the background. I like this pairing.