Old WM. Tarr Manchester Reserve

A little background

If you traveled back in time to Lexington, Kentucky prior to prohibition, you’d find a gentleman by the name of William Tarr making his mark in Kentucky bourbon history. Fast forward one hundred years and that iconic name has returned to Kentucky thanks to a group of investors. Wm. Tarr Distillery has been reborn in Lexington’s historic Distillery District by co-founders Jill Bakehorn and Barry Brinegar, who are excited to bring back this quality bourbon that signifies Kentucky’s inheritance. Old WM. Tarr Manchester Reserve is a blend of 8-year-old rye (37% corn, 51% rye, and 12% malted barley) and 7-year-old bourbon (75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley). The bottle is age stated at 7 years, bottled at 57% ABV and has a retail price of around $80 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark Gold

Nose

Orange marmalade, caramel, nutmeg, boysenberry, artificial vanilla, almonds, and cherries. The nose was quite muted at first, however, it really opened up with some time.

Palate

Waves of flavor! Cherries, orange, followed by chocolate fudge, and a slight peanut butter note. Thick and viscus.

Finish

The finish is plenty long w/ rye spice, coffee, licorice, vanilla, coconut, and chocolate.

In closing

The nose was a bit muted at first and had me worried, but boy-o-boy did things change after it opened up. The boysenberry note on the nose was quite unique and very enjoyable. Both the palate and finish were wonderful with deep and rich notes. The rye spice on the finish is a nice surprise and was a bit unexpected, as the nose and palate weren’t as rye forward. At $80, Old WM. Tarr Manchester Reserve is a tad on the high end of the price spectrum, however, it’s quite unique and in my opinion worth the coin.

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of W.M. Tarr Distillery. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.