Straight Bourbon Whiskey
100 Proof
$28
What is it with Bourbons today?!? A normal bottle of distilled spirits is 80 Proof (40%alcohol).
A trend that seems to have become the norm, is for small batch bourbons to be between 80-110 proof. I typically feel that over-proofed whiskey is a bit excessive so I typically steer away from 100 proof bottles but the owner at my local liquor store was really “gung ho” on 1776, and so far, he hasn’t steered me wrong yet, so I figured I’d give this one a go.
Being 100 proof, I was expecting the nose to be pretty strong maybe even a bit brutal but the 1776 was not that way at all. With its clean golden color this whiskey had a smooth and gentle nose with a small sense of Carmel and flowers.
At first it was a bit rough going down but after my second sip it was smooth as silk. Just a note, when it comes to over-proofed Bourbons, a couple of cube of Ice will typically fix that brutal smack in the back of your throat.
The Finish was quite remarkable. I find that most 100 proof whiskey‘s are quite harsh and typically burning there way through my insides trying desperately to find the quickest and most painful way out. I was happily surprised to find the 1776 was quite smooth and not harsh at all but very warm and soothing. A moment later I can taste a small hint of a flowers. Very nice
The head made me feel very relaxed and warm inside. Calm and serene. I’m not jumping out of my seat but I’m not running to the bathroom either. Time to pour another drink!
The morning after was not bad at all. Now to be honest, two drinks is about all my body can handle when I need to be responsible the next day. I woke up feeling pretty good! Just a slight tinge of a head ache but certainly not face down in the dirt. I can tell that if I hit the 1776 for a third round I would be in a world of hurt.
All in all, James and Pepper 1776 is a good whiskey for the buck. The 100 proof can be rough and maybe even a bit of an overkill but for $28 it’s worth every sip!
Cheers
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