Lucky Seven Spirits 12-Year-Old The Hold Up

A little background

Distilled and bottled in Bardstown Kentucky, The Hold Up is a 12 year straight bourbon from Lucky Seven Spirits. Lucky Seven was co-founded by Michael Lahalih and John Pals, who have been friends since their college years. Both men share a passion for bourbon and cinema, which sets the perfect stage for Lucky Seven Spirits. The Hold Up joins Lucky Seven’s two other existing releases, one a six-year straight bourbon, and the other a 12-year single barrel (The Proprietor) offering. The Hold Up is bottled at 100 proof and has a MSRP of $100.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark Amber

Nose

Delicious plums blended with a little ethanol are the first to spring from the glass. After a few minutes, sweet corn and just a touch of citrus become evident as well.

Palate

The plums carry through to the palate, joining notes of toffee and nutmeg. The mouthfeel is soft and velvety, with flavors that take several moments to develop, including a nice vanilla bean note on the midpalate.

Finish

The finish is medium in length and brings with it some unexpected flavors. Notes of dill and oak arrive for the first time, with the plum and vanilla bean arriving later after a few breaths.

In closing

While I enjoyed this bourbon a fair amount, I’m on the fence about picking up a bottle due to the high price point (~$100). The layered fruit on the nose is nice and approachable, although it hardly resembles the more herbal finish, although the gap between the two serves only to make this bourbon a longer journey from start to finish. The mouthfeel is an important aspect of any whiskey for me personally, and the age and proof on this pour balanced each other out well in a way that provided for a distinct but pleasantly soft mouthfeel.