J. Mattingly 1845 Blondie VI

A little background

Based out of Georgetown, Kentucky, J. Mattingly 1845 is the premium label under the Bourbon 30 Spirits name. According to their website, J. Mattingly 1845 commemorates the year Master Crafter Jeff Mattingly’s great-great-great uncle, John Graves Mattingly, started the second registered distillery in Kentucky; Mattingly & Sons. Jeff uses his knowledge from the culinary world to finish barrels to people’s likings. At the distillery, people are able to sample whiskey as well as select their own barrel. This particular barrel, Blondie VI, is 12 years old and was created as a single barrel whiskey. 36 bottles in this release were available and were bottled at 132 proof. Like all J. Mattingly 1845 bottles, Blondie VI has a price of $120.

(Tasted neat from a Halo Glass)

Color

Honey

Nose

The first thing I noticed on the nose was a very heavy ethanol presence. That very quickly coupled with vanilla and butterscotch to smooth everything out. Notes of tangerine and wet grass (like the kind that you smell during summer when you make a slip-n-slide with a tarp and a hose) becomes present. It is a nice nose, and you can tell that this is going to drink hot.

Palate

The palate does not drink nearly as hot as the nose suggests it would. The mouthfeel is extremely creamy, and laden with huge notes of butterscotch. It’s almost as if I let a piece of butterscotch melt in my mouth. Subtle notes of citrus and vanilla play on the roof the mouth, along with toasted caramel that coats the back palate. This whiskey is not super complex, per se, but the flavors and textures that are present are very forward and delicious, and make it so that added complexity is not needed.

Finish

Toasted butterscotch and vanilla coat the tongue and linger for a good while. The proof makes it known that it was there, but only as an enhancer to the flavors.The burn of 132 proof is hardly noticeable.

In closing

I really enjoyed this! I’ve noticed a bit of a theme with these single barrels: Jeff has a great skill in being able to target desired flavors in whiskey and bring them out by selecting certain barrels. I think that if someone enjoys a very butterscotch/vanilla forward whiskey, they would love this! I thought it was great.