Unbeknownst to you, dear reader, I’m actually doing this review immediately after finished my last review of the Yellowstone Bourbon. That’s right, I’ve had a lot in my Glencairn tonight, but I feel it’s quite alright for creating artistic poise and presenting poetic purity in this, the most pointless of passions, a palette of whiskey sensations. Today I’ll be telling you about a very special bottle I found tucked beyond the glass encasing of my local liquor store’s cabinets, sold in a set but only purchased as one of three I present to thee, Thomas S. Moore’s Cabernet Sauvignon finished bourbon.
Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Casks (KY Straight Bourbon)
Barton Distillery / Bardstown, KY
$69.99
47.65% / 93.5 Proof
Nose - Full on dark red wine fills the glass with heavy riffs of black raisins and dark grapes. A light vanilla hue arrives after the remarkable first punctuation but refuses to drown the wine-finished sensation.
Palate - Dives straight into an obviously aged-in-wine-barrels flavor, I can almost taste the cork of a bottle this could have been neighbors with. Deep grape and astringent notes; Dry, vibrant, and sugary. Upon further investigation, I find a doorway deeper, as if finding the keys to a locked cellar filled with dried fruits and bottled jams, preserved by sugar and time.
Finish - The finish shows up dry and astringent just as the profile above, leaving me almost eager to give in to the urge to drink just a little bit more, but knowing all too well the difference between an 11% ABV wine and a 47% whiskey. Nonetheless, it is pleasant, inviting, and endearing. One of the more welcoming finishes I’ve experienced in a while.
Thoughts - This very special bottle came to me on happenstance on a very special day. I had planned earlier in the morning to head to the store and pick up a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 - my go-to bar setter - to bide my time as I waited to hear back from a few different full-time positions I was eager to hear back from, but right as I was getting ready to go, I received a call offering me a job at one of the opportunities I was most excited for. In celebration, I picked up this bottle - admittedly a “second choice” the Port wine aged bottle to its left I spied a week ago now sold out - and made my way happily to the checkout. I’ve been needing some good news in my life lately, and this bottle came as a bit of a welcoming party to that good news, just the same with the Yellowstone Select I had reviewed “last week” (an hour ago). For me, this particular bottle envisions more than just a simple drink, but a celebration of a new opportunity, and an exciting new future with a happy foot into the outdoors industry, something I have strived towards for the past 4 years. I might be a bit biased in this review, but I would like to believe my palate is trained enough to distinguish flavor from nostalgia. This is certainly a special offering new on the market, and I think it will make some interesting splashes around the whiskey world. I’ve been a big fan of all the wine-aged whiskies I’ve been able to try, and this bottle doesn’t break that tradition of admiration.
On a side note, I am very hopeful that this is the last photo I will have to take “like this” in some time. I don’t want to spoil the meaning of that statement outright, so I’ll keep my audience guessing. But, if you are truly curious, I will admit that if you are a fan of my Instagram page you will be pleasantly surprised.
8/10 - Intriguing, flavorful, and boisterous. A great pickup for any wine admirer or whiskey aficionado.