Review #173 - 1792 Small Batch
Distilled at the Barton distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, the 1792 brand is named for the year that Kentucky joined as a state in the USA. The distillery has been operating since 1879, and a number of brands of whisky are produced there, including 1792, Very Old Barton, Kentucky Tavern, and many more.
This Small Batch bourbon comes in at 93.7 proof, a nice bump up from many of the entry level bourbons we see at 86 or 90 proof; it uses rye as the secondary grain, so after the sweetness from the corn, we could see a background of spice. There's no mention of maturation time, but other sources online point to "at least four years."
1792 Small Batch
USA - Bourbon
Current Locally Available Price: USD 26 (2023)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 46.85% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 18 months; bottles at 50%, 20%, and 10% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Balanced, maybe leaning a little sweet: cinnamon and brown sugar, along with a cherry or dark red fruit note that popped up in all of the tastings. Oak is relatively mild, but there's a backbone of dusty corn, candy corn, and a dry, nutty scent.
Palate: Medium-thin mouthfeel, maybe pushing up toward medium thickness; baking spices are plentiful with clove, brown sugar, mild vanilla, and a burnt caramel. That red fruit hangs around, too: sharp cherry jam, red wine, or some tart blackberry. Not particularly oaky, and the sweetness becomes more syrupy with time.
Finish: Medium length, with soft balanced oak, a mild peppery tickle, and some sugary notes of brown sugar and vanilla bean. Not as much fruit now, except a hint of freeze dried strawberry in the aftertaste.
Final Note: Not bad, but a little uninspired and basic. For $26, that's fair enough - probably in line with expectations. While the nose was balanced, the palate and finish leaned toward the sweeter side of things, and there were some simple baking spices notes to enjoy.
Our Average Rating: 5.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.17
