Saint Cloud 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

A little background

Saint Cloud is a relative newcomer to the world of whiskey that was founded by Ray Walker, a seasoned producer of Grand Cru wines in Burgundy, France. Walker started Saint Cloud to honor his family’s roots in Kentucky dating back to the early 19th century by producing micro-batch whiskey with two goals in mind: quality and refinement. Saint Cloud sources whiskey from various Kentucky distilleries at various stages to create unique experiences through each release. According to Ray, “Saint Cloud is a labor of love, created to bridge the connection to Ray’s family which dates back in Kentucky since the start of the nineteenth-century.”

Saint Cloud 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon is matured in casks for just shy of 9 years and bottled unfiltered as single barrels at cask strength. According to the brand, “this expression speaks to seamless complexity that starts with a beguiling aromatic signature, leading to a broad mid-palate, ending in a decadent and long-lasting finish. The barrels chosen for this expression are those that possess the most nuance and verve.” The bottle used for this review is named “Vogue”, which was bottled at 124.78 Proof and carries an MSRP of $160 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Champagne Flute)

Color

Gold

Nose

Orange, peach stone fruit, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, and oak.

Palate

Chocolate, peanuts, bran muffin, molasses, honey, and oak.

Finish

Chocolate, cinnamon, peanuts, and oak.

In closing

Saint Cloud 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon is everything that a Kentucky Bourbon should be. The experience starts off with a classic Bourbon nose, filled with fruit, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, and oak. On the palate, you’re met with intense flavors that coat the mouth with notes of bran muffin, molasses, honey, and chocolate. There is an overall B&M Brown Bread quality that’s super unique and pleasant. The finish on this Bourbon is relatively long, leaving behind notes of chocolate, cinnamon, peanuts, and continued oak. Overall, Saint Cloud 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon just screams Kentucky Bourbon and I love it. Two thumbs up on this one!

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