Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Welcome back, everyone. I’ve had a few bottles that I have been meaning to write about, with photos processed long past - and unfortunately, so too the whiskies themselves. I’ll include some quick thoughts of what I remember the bottles being like later on in this particular writeup, and perhaps I’ll revisit them for more fleshed-out reviews in the future, but for now, let’s stick to what we are here for. One I have spied on the shelves for years and finally pulled the trigger on, the modestly priced Yellowstone Select.
Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Lebanon, KY
$39.99
46.5% / 93 Proof
Nose - I’m picking up some very bright honey and cherry with a bit of toffee and graham cracker crumble, that fills in even more with full fruits and tangy red apples.
Palate - Caramel POW’s hard upfront making for a lovely and indelible mark on the rest of the flavor profile, which would lean into (caramel mixed) cherry, vanilla, and oddly prominent oaky nuttiness that seems almost like sunflower seeds.
Finish - That earthy sunflower flavor sits with me for a good while afterward while the rest of the body has a blanketing numbness that is quite surprising for a 93 proof whiskey.
Thoughts - Yellowstone stands up. I know that this is a sourced whiskey - rumor has it from Heaven Hill - but I must admit, I am impressed with the interesting profile this whiskey presents. It’s nothing that I think I would go out of my way for, which is to say it’s certainly pleasant and enjoyable, but there are more diverse and classical flavors present in lower budget bourbons… But if you’re looking to claim a bottle as your “trademark” or just wanting to expand your horizons while staying in your bourbon-drinker comfort zone, I think the Yellowstone Select does a fine job at maintaining clarity in what it is meant to be.
6/10 - Not a bad take on a classic bourbon profile.
Thoughts - All I can say about Jefferson’s is that is was remarkably forgettable. I would say that is similar to a whiskey rendition of vodka: It’s easy to drink, not overwhelmingly fowl, and gives me a headache if I drink too much.
3/10 - Not worth the price point for such a “watery” whiskey.
Thoughts - Woodford’s take on a Single Malt is a welcome addition to the formerly (as far as I knew) strictly bourbon / rye collection of WR. This bottle held up considerably well — especially compared against the former Jefferson’s — providing a rich, malty flavor that is so very easy to fall in love with, but presented a very strange side-flavor for me, especially when mixing with water either directly or as a chaser: I picked up on the finish the unmistakable “taste” (really, smell) of wet dog, which was not overpowering, quite frankly very light, but pronounced for me to remember still and I am even now left thinking, “wow that was kinda weird”. It wasn’t enough to take off the palate of the whiskey, but was certainly reason for pause.
5/10 - Great palate, strange finish, essential for people who love Woodford Reserve.