A little background

According to the distillery, Wattie Boone was the first person to be documented producing bourbon in the state of Kentucky. Preservation Distillery decided to honor this legacy by creating this small batch whiskey, which was distilled at an unknown distillery in Tennessee and aged for 9 years in Kentucky. The distillery has previously released a 7-year and 8-year expression, and recently began offering a single barrel program for their flagship American whiskey. Wattie Boone & Sons 9-Year American Whiskey is bottled at 94.7 proof and has a retail price of roughly $80.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Amber

Nose

The nose has a rich, buttery aroma that is full of corn, some caramel syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and some dried citrus peel. There is also a subtle oak presence that underscores all of these aromas.

Palate

This whiskey has an average mouthfeel but displays a nice balance of sweet and spicy notes on the palate. Sweet caramel syrup is prominent, along with some toasted grain, nutmeg, and some light rye spice. I also found some notes of citrus and more of that subtle, somewhat smoky oak note. While not terribly complex, this whiskey is quite smooth and pleasant to sip.

Finish

The finish is medium with some soft rye spice transitioning from the palate. The sweet caramel syrup note continues along with some baking spices and more dried citrus. The oak is more prominent on the finish, with some tannins present, but it works nicely with the spice and citrus notes.

In closing

Having tried all of the Wattie Boone & Sons releases, I have to say this 9-year expression quickly won me over and is the clear front-runner for the brand. The extra age provided some additional complexity and helped to develop a thicker mouthfeel than the previous releases. Once again, Wattie Boone & Sons 9-Year American Whiskey provides a nice balance of sweet and spicy notes and makes for a very pleasant, easy-drinking experience. This is not the most complex whiskey, and it won’t give you the rich, bold flavors that a bourbon can provide, but I think it is a nice addition to the whiskey cabinet at the retail price.

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