Hancock's Reserve
Intro: From Sazerac Website:
In 1775, the Leestown settlement was established along the banks of the Kentucky River by Willis and Hancock Lee. Soon this became a well-known shipping port for tobacco, hemp and whiskey. The Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey pays tribute to the pioneering spirit of Hancock Lee.
This Single Barrel bourbon whiskey is deep amber in color. The nose is light and sweet with traces of mango and papaya. The body is full and the palate shows a nice balance of honey, clover, fruit and a dash of spice. The finish is long and warm.
The Review:
I bought my first bottle of this about 2 years ago now. It was a store pick from Liquor Barn in Lexington, KY. I didn't even know it was a product of Buffalo Trace...yeah...I didn't know anything...and still don't!
So, I flew home...lit-traul-ly flew in a plane back to Maryland, cracked this open, took a swig and thought..."GD! I have been had!" I hated it. Now that I've had hundreds of different bourbons, let's give it another go.
The rub...like a fresh baked loaf of bread. I mean more than any other bourbon that I've ever sniffed. JDub always says he gets bread on his rubs...that's because he eat a lot of sandwiches...Wawa is a weakness...but I seriously get it on this bourbon. Then the barn and woody smells come in.
The nose...it's amazing. It has no fume, all the great aromas that good bourbons have without the offensive fume. Vanilla and oak.
The first sip...no lip burn or tongue burn...holding it longer...slight tongue burn and a touch of roof of mouth burn. Very good! Chocolate and vanilla, with a great finish. It's very rich. Unlike a lot of bourbons that have some sweetness that fizzles out with the burn, this one shines through with chocolate. Second sip...again same flavors come through, and now I get more heat on the swallow on the tongue. It is a touch hot but really really good. This is a high rye bourbon from mash bill #2, but not grainy or grassy. I'm getting the heat from that rye though. Third sip...hold...hold...HOLD...NOW! Huge sweet profile of vanilla, caramel and chocolate. It's much better than I ever gave it credit early on. I feel bad for poopooing this bourbon to friends and family because its nice.
Is it worth the $?
$49.99. Is it worth having as a collector...yeah. Would I like this better in the $34.99 range, yeah it would better suited there. It's a single barrel product, so I get it on the price tag. This is probably stuff from warehouse H that didn't make the cut for either Rock Hill Farms or Blanton's. Considering I own 2 of these...yeah it's worth it.