I was recently sent this bottle of 15 Stars Bourbon finished in Vino de Naranja barrels. This whiskey was picked by the company’s founders, Rick and Ricky to celebrate Father’s Day. Vino de Naranja is a sweet white wine which has been flavored with orange peel from Spain. It gives the whiskey a flavor of orange peel, but not an overpowering flavor. Matt and I sat down to taste this bottle the other day and here are our tasting notes.
15 Stars Single Barrel Bourbon Finished in Vino de Naranja Casks
Proof: 102.8
Age: Eight Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: A very light nose with vanilla and oak wood with a hint of citrus.
- Matt: Vanilla, cinnamon, orange peel, grapes and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Vanilla, orange peel, allspice and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and cinnamon spice comes out in the flavor. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a caramel.
- Matt: Vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out some grape and orange fruit notes. The pecan brought out caramel and coffee notes and enhanced the oak wood.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and allspice. The dried cranberry made the finish oak wood and cinnamon red hot candy. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak wood and ginger spice.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and black pepper. The dried cranberry made the finish very spicy with lots of black pepper. The pecan made the finish longer with oak, pepper and lingering coffee notes.
I would pair this whiskey with a cigar that has vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a NUB Cameroon cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller