Last weekend we went out to Colorado and while we were visiting we picked up a bottle of Distillery 291 Bad Guy Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Batch #3. This flavorful whiskey is made from a four grain mash, including corn, malted wheat, malted rye and beech smoked barley mash. It is 120.7 proof and finished with Aspen Staves. It was $99 at the store where we found it - but I can’t seem to find it for sale online to verify the price. Batch #3 released 785 bottles. While there is no age statement on the bottle, it is assumed to be 2-3 years old.

The smell of this whiskey is incredibly rich, and smells a bit like those cola gummies I was obsessed with as a kid, or like cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper. The taste is rich and sweet but with a serious kick; dried fruit and warm spices come through as the flavor lingers. The whiskey is thick enough to coat your mouth a little without feeling cloying. The flavor finishes with a warm bit of a burn and oakiness. This whiskey is incredibly smooth for the proof - it does kick up front but it is very sippable neat, without the tingling numbing from some other strong whiskies. Dropping an ice cube in brings out the wood notes, as well as a little smokiness and lemon, while mellowing out the alcoholic bite. It is overall an incredibly delicious whiskey with a whole load of bold flavor, that sips beautifully neat or on ice. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this mellow and flavorful bourbon!