BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Mary Dowling Whiskey Co.
• MASH BILL: 65% Corn | 25% Wheat | 10% Malted Barley
• AGE: More than 4 years
• YEAR: 2024
• PROOF: 107 (53.5% ABV)
• MSRP: $130
• BUY ONLINE: Mary Dowling Bottle Shop

STEVE’S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any bourbon drinker, especially wheated and double-oaked bourbon fans.

WORTH THE PRICE: It’s a little steep for a bourbon that’s only 4+ years old, but it is a well-made whiskey.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Try it at a bar first.

OVERALL: Stone fruit and baking spices fill the nose with dessert-y goodness, and the mash bill’s wheat content turns the whole into fried fruit pies. This is a lovely dram to sniff for long periods. Oak and dark chocolate eventually creep in as the second barrel (a heavy toast with a #1 char) shows up to remind the drinker that oak can be incredibly floral and fruity without being merely woody.

It’s truly dynamic on the palate, shifting from toasted oak to baked fruit then twisting sideways to toasted cinnamon bread and poached spiced apples. Every sip lays down another layer of dark flavors (tobacco, fig a little leather) to build up the rich finish. Just the slightest tannin builds tension across the palate without overwhelming it–not likely at 4+ years old anyway. A final sip delivers an eye-watering spice bomb that snakes down the gullet, warming the way at every step.

BRAND NOTES

NOSE: Tobacco, chocolate, baking spice, cherry, cinnamon, oak, brown sugar, dry spices.

PALATE: Leather, tobacco, cinnamon, oak, citrus, smoke, tannins with an earthy dryness

FINISH: Cherry, wide lingering, spice

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.