calumet farm

The nose has soft vanillas and grain notes that come off immediately. As it opens, hints of brown sugar and candied almonds begin to appear. On the palate, there’s a light body with notes of sweet grass, honeysuckle, maybe even a hint of hay. The finish is clean and short leaving just a slight note of the sweetness that was once there. 

I saw the retail price floating around the $50 range. This may be a little higher than I'd be willing to pay. It's a great $30-$35 bottle. 

Honeysuckle. Sweet grass. 

 There’s a nice rich amber tea look to it. The nose is delighted with hints of vanilla and warm honey that evolves into caramel. But there’s something more. The corn from the grain appears and merges with the caramel. Noticeably fuller in body than the small batch. It’s also a little warmer. Sweetness and vanilla notes lead the way. The honey of the nose is present on the palate, as well. This sweetness comes across with some slight familiarity to old fashioned root beers, after the sip is gone. The finish is soft leather and oak. Just enough to make you want to venture back in.

Retail that I have seen (as of the time of this writing) had this bottle hovering in the $60-$65 range. I think I'd max out at about $50 for this bottle. It has a good flavor but it just doesn't have the layers that I want for that price range. 

Toasted honey. Hints of root beer. 

This hits the nose with the traditional aromas, at first: corn, sweetness, vanilla. However, as it begins to open up and the nose gets used to the 94 proof the aroma triggers a delicious memory. Crumb cake. There is cinnamon, brown sugar, and even the notes of dough. On the palate there is an oily feel, with some heat, at first. Cinnamon. Brown sugar. Toasted apple. All of these just combine with the aroma. Now, the flavors are exploding into apple crumb cake with caramel (or toffee) drizzled over the top. There’s a nice clean finish. 

“Bottled for Western Spirits by Three Springs Bottling Company.”  

With some research we find that this is a Non-distiller producer (NDP) that also sells Bird Dog and Lexington bourbons.

Retail had a big swing. It was anywhere from $85 to $115 a bottle. 

$60, maybe $70 for this would sufficient. 

Toasted apple crumb cake.