*For our individual reviews, we won't be using the same rating system as our group reviews. We ask each Ram to give the "score" of - Dram, Bottle or Case.
Dram - try it first
Bottle - the review has conviction in this bottle and would be comfortable recommending someone purchasing a bottle to enjoy
Case - money being no object, having this as a constant in your rotation, multiple backups.
The reason we wanted to share individual reviews as well is to give additional avenues and resources for readers to calibrate their palates with the different Rams.*
Foti's Review
100 Proof, 9 year 5 month old MGP juice, 2 months after that in Armagnac casks that previously held blends of Armagnac that date from 1868 to 1970. You gotta admit, that's pretty cool.
99% corn mash bill, tasted neat.
$150
Color - Medium to dark amber
Nose - Caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, oak, an extremely welcoming bouquet. This is what you would expect and want a great bourbon to smell like. The sweetness of the corn comes through. A few more passes and you get a whisper of cinnamon and apple (if you have ever sliced up an apple and sprinkled some cinnamon powder on it, you'll know what I mean). Airing it out and swirling a little more brings about a bit of orange.Palate - Butterscotch, vanilla, a bit of spice and the proof shows up, but it is not an aggressive heat at all. A touch of cinnamon red hots, I feel like it might be softening up a little as it is sitting in the bottle half empty, I might move it to a smaller vessel (but keep and repurpose that botte, it's such a lovely bottle!). A bit of dessert-y kind of note, maple? Not sure, but I am enjoying it (again).
Finish - Medium, the spice lingers on your tongue a little bit.
Rating - I am going to have to say Case. I would love to, and most likely will, have a back-up or two bottles of this. It's well made, it is a crowd pleaser and can be enjoyed neat, with a dash of water or with a large ice cube. It is in the sweet spot of ABV for me and while it is pricey, I think it is worth it, especially if you are looking for a little bit of a celebratory pour. Taking this bottle out of your bar during a party will make you feel a bit like Jay Gatsby. Cheers, old sport!
