Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: Distilled in Kentucky and Indiana. Aged in Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia.
Proof: 128.8. Barrel strength, non-chill filtered.
Blend, Age, Origin & Mash bill:
14% 9-Year IN – 75% Corn/21% Rye/4% Malted Barley.
27% 9-Year IN – 75% Corn/21% Rye/4% Malted Barley.
48% 10-Year KY – 78% Corn/10% Rye/12% Malted Barley.
11% 14-Year KY – 75% Corn/13% Rye/12% Malted Barley.
Retail Price: $139.99.
Appearance: Dark caramel.
Nose
Luxardo cherries and red berry reduction, plums, rich dark chocolate, crème brûlée, toffee, toasted pecans. Further nosing reveals mint, molasses, sage, vanilla extract, lemon brightness, and allspice. Notes of butterscotch and root beer develop as the session continues. This is the bourbon version of a decadent Belgian chocolate-covered cherry cordial in a glass.
Palate
The nose moves onto the palate with chocolate, Luxardo cherries, berries, creme brûlée, toffee, root beer, toasted pecans, mint, molasses, sage, and vanilla. Well-balanced cinnamon spice builds mid-sip, covering the whole palate with an excellent, viscous mouthfeel. This profile is right up my chocolate-cherry, oak-loving alley. The flavors in this profile are delicious and well-balanced, all of which contribute to an enjoyable sipping experience that drinks below its proof.
Finish
As the cinnamon spice fades, cherries, chocolate, root beer, lemon peel, and toasted pecans continue. As more time passes, dark pipe tobacco develops, resulting in a very long, oak-driven finish with no bitterness or dryness.
Conclusion
The Reveries Rare Release series reminds me of the Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series, which blends multiple whiskeys of varying ages and origins, offering transparency regarding the percentages, ages, and mash bills used. The Discovery Series and The Reveries Rare Release Raven are also the same price. I compared The Raven to Discovery #12, which happens to share some of the Raven’s mash bills, age, and similar rich notes of Luxardo cherry and chocolate. I love Disco #12’s more diverse Kentucky bourbon profile, but I loved the Raven’s more decadent, richer, and darker chocolate-driven profile, just a bit more.
The Reveries Rare Release: Raven (Batch 1) can be best described as an incredible bourbon from start to finish. I haven’t been able to get my hands on any of the other “The Reveries” releases, but if this is the kind of quality we can expect from future Reveries, I’m all in.
Rating: 9.5/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
