Boone County Eighteen 33 10-Year

A little background

Boone County Distillery is a relatively new distillery located in northern Kentucky. The name “Boone County Eighteen 33” is in honor of the year and location where the Petersburg Distillery was built by John and William Synder in the early days of bourbon. While not technically related to the founder’s of this early distillery, the company’ s mission is to pay homage to these early pioneers of the bourbon industry, which gives rise to the brand’s ethos – “Made by Ghosts.”

Boone County began sourcing barrels back in 2015 and released their first expression shortly thereafter; a 10-year Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Since that time the company has released a 12 and 14-year single expression. All of this bourbon was distilled at the MGP Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana and bottled at the Boone County Distillery in Boone County, Kentucky.The mashbill consists of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley.

This bottle, the 10-year expression, originally retailed in the $50-60 range.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Deep Copper

Nose

The nose is soft and creamy, and filled with layers of the traditional flavors of oak and caramel, along with wonderful notes of rich vanilla custard. With time I picked up more baking spice and a pronounced note of dark cherry syrup.

Palate

This bourbon provides an average mouthfeel and a sharp rye spice makes an appearance quickly on the tip of the tongue. There is more baking spice and a creamy vanilla sweetness, but the heavy oak notes are front and center and really define the sip. There is also a surprising amount of burn, despite the low proof.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and pleasant. Rye spice and some alcohol burn carry over from the palate and usher in more oak char, brown sugar, spice, and more of that rich, dark cherry syrup. The sweet notes provide a nice balance of flavor as the sip finishes with strong oak undertones.

In conclusion

When I first saw a bottle of Boone County Eighteen 33 10-Year I was somewhat conflicted about making the purchase because I knew exactly what I was buying: a sourced MGP product with a relatively hefty price tag. However, I was immediately pleased with my purchase after I got this bourbon into the glass. The nose on this bourbon delivers a nice creamy bouquet of flavor which continues to get better with time. These flavors also translate nicely to the palate, and although oak is the dominant note on the palate, it is not overpowering and there is a nice balance of sweetness that makes for a really enjoyable pour. This may not be the most complex bourbon you will find, but the flavors that are here are pleasant and well-developed. No matter how you feel about MGP-sourced products, I think this bourbon stands out as a unique and flavorful expression that fits the price point.