Cocoa brown color, clean, and bright Initially, spicy fragrances of turbinado brown sugar, cacao, and creamed corn. Then notes that hint of toasted marshmallow, cinnamon bun, saltwater taffy, and English toffee. Engagingly sweet, spicy, even succulent, as the first taste profile gives off sturdy, moderately oaky flavors of sweetened breakfast cereal, corn syrup, and caramel corn candy. Finishes very long and surprisingly gentle, as the late-stage flavor is supported by a sinewy, creamy texture.
At over 140 proof, Jacob’s Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey doesn’t command that razor thin balance of the very best hazmat spirits. (One example: The superlative Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill release from 2021.) But that doesn’t mean it's undrinkable. On the contrary, this is a whiskey with plenty of flavor and depth, though it will take some at-home tinkering to temper the sweetness and heat for individual palates. Personally, I can’t wait to try it in cocktails. Can I interest anyone in a turbocharged Gold Rush? - T.M.
VinePair - March 2024
