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I will not mince any words here; Doc Holliday 8-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey provides a fantastic high-proof tasting experience. Rarely do I start bourbon reviews by saying that, but this is worthy of praise. I was skeptical when I first saw this bourbon in a local store. I am often leery of creative packaging when I know little of the whiskey, but the cool bullet casing cap and western script label intrigued me. So, I stared at this 131 proofer for a few weeks before finally pulling the trigger. Boy, am I glad I purchased it. Interestingly, Doc Holliday 8-year bourbon was distilled by Ivy Mountain Distillery in Georgia, USA (my home state) but is distributed by The World Whiskey Society Company. Anyway, here is my detailed review.
Rating: 83
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| Palate |
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| Finish |
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| Uniqueness |
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| Value |
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Ratings breakdown based on a 100 point scale.
- 90-100 Exceptional
- 80-89 Very Good
- 70-79 Average
- 60-69 Below Average
- 50-60 Drain Pour
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Detailed Tasting Notes
Nose Review - Rating: 86
Doc Holliday 8-year Straight Bourbon starts with a bang. The fabulous smell permeates the bar as soon as you pop the cork. The aroma begins with a traditional sweet caramel and mild char blend. Once that settles down, there is a delightful light rye spice and black pepper mix on the nose. Suddenly, the caramel and char blend with a bit of cherry compote, creating a creamy cherry cola aroma. This is a lovely-smelling bourbon with a mild cherry cola aroma hanging around for a while. This bourbon's nose morphs if you let it sit in the glass a while without sipping. The cherry may disappear.
Palate Review - Rating: 83
OK. Wow. The first sip is full-bodied and scrumptious. The 131 proof comes in full throttle, but not by itself. Rich, creamy, dense, and strong traditional spicy bourbon notes are mixed with the ethanol to create an assertive initial sip. This initial pour of Doc Holliday 8-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey reminds me of a great Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof bourbon store pick I had, but with less oak. I feel more oak will reveal itself in time, but it's there on this initial sip. The palate is thick and creamy with a traditional black pepper, clove, and rye spice mix. There is a little bit of sweetness that provides some balance too. Wow, this is good! Black pepper char and a slight sweetness on the mid-palate. My bourbon wheelhouse tends to be 8 - 12 years, and on this first pour, this definitely has the mature taste you would expect for an 8-year bourbon. Again, dense, buttery, rye-spicy, mild oak, and a little sweet…almost a perfect amount of sweetness.
Finish Review - Rating: 84
A sweet, creamy leathery finish includes the previously mentioned baking spices and a lovely creaminess. In my experience, sweetness disappears more on the finish of high-proof bourbons. That is not the case here. The sweetness maintains its strength on the finish too. Strangely, the heat lingers at the back of the throat but not as much in the esophagus.
Uniqueness Review - Rating: 82
The finish of Doc Holliday 8-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey is unlike most higher proof bourbons and I love this finish!
Value Review - Rating: 78
I will say that in today's market, this is priced right where it should be for this wonderful tasting experience. $129.99
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Smell IS taste. I am just a guy who has been hit with the bourbon bug and who has come to the conclusion that life is too short to drink average tasting bourbons. Go Gators!
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