Burks Spring Bourbon was founded by Dick Burks, a descendent of Charles Burks who founded a grist mill and distillery near Loretto, Kentucky. That distillery is now Maker’s Mark. Dick Burks had this Bourbon contract distilled at Kentucky Artisan Distillery using the mash bill that has been passed down in his family. I am always happy to see old distilling families get back into the industry and revive old mash bills. I recently purchased a bottle of this Bourbon and Matt and I sat down to taste it. Here are our tasting notes.
Burks Spring Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Proof: 100
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Vanilla, baking spices, apples and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, honey, raspberry, spearmint, and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Vanilla, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple is enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the oak and spices are enhanced.
- Matt: Caramel, honey, raspberries, and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out the mint from the nose. The pecan enhanced the oak and added a citrus note to the taste.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish shorter with lots of apple flavor. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak and pepper spice.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and honey. The dried cranberry brought out tobacco notes in the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak, tobacco and lingering citrus.
I would pair this fine Bourbon with a cigar that has lots of vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a Fuente Short Story cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller