Within the realm of heralded and esoteric American whiskey, Redemption’s Ancients sequence made its mark in 2017 with two bottles which have grow to be pillars of “If you understand, you know.” The primary was an ultra-rare 36 year-old bourbon, blended from a few of MGP’s oldest shares and totaling simply 18 bottles. The second was a barely extra “frequent” launch, an 18 yr previous rye launch that, in line with the model, numbered simply 600 bottles. (Rumors abound of a barely greater bottle depend, although none are confirmed.)
Eight years later, Redemption is again with the third entry in its Ancients assortment, this time an 18 year-old mix of bourbon sourced from MGP. With a complete bottle depend of two,400 and an MSRP of round $400, it’s the model’s most premium launch in years. It’s additionally the primary Ancients launch underneath the steerage of Grasp Blender Alan Kennedy, who personally chosen and married every barrel used.
Kennedy stated he in the end rejected a lot of 18+ year-old barrels Redemption had in inventory, a seemingly robust choice by any measure. In press notes concerning the bottling, the model additionally emphasised a want to focus on the character of the Lawrenceburg-distilled high-rye mashbills.
The ultimate mix was bottled at a cask energy 51.7% abv. Let’s see the way it tastes.
Redemption Ancients 18-Yr-Previous Bourbon Evaluation
The nostril begins off like a cherry Jolly Rancher melted atop a charred oak stave. It’s deeply fruity, and whereas that wealthy pink cherry is most outstanding, crushed raspberries, ripe peach skins, and pomegranate juice are additionally perceptible a degree or two under. Commonplace baking spice is current, however whereas acquainted, it’s not precisely run of the mill, with cinnamon and allspice gracefully weaving out and in of these fruit parts; the spice solely grows with time within the glass. Maybe most significantly, the wooden affect is spot on right here, brash and pushed proper as much as the road of overly oaked however by no means deigning to cross it. The proof will in the end be within the palate, however even right here, it’s clear Kennedy was mixing with a deft contact and pushing sure aromas to capability with out spilling over.
A primary sip brings black cherry syrup and darkish chocolate shavings, with an enormous preliminary burst of taste that takes one other sip or two to parse. It’s not discordant, however merely wealthy sufficient to warrant some extra thought. Whereas oak, cola, and leather-based tannins construct, the cherry turns into noticeably brighter, again into shiny pink exhausting sweet territory. It’s a reasonably elegant foil to the leather-based, and the midpalate step by step settles into a country cherry cola, viscous with actual sugar because the candy spine. Tiny hits of sweetened espresso and naturally flavored mint gum lead into the again palate and supply a pleasant off-ramp from pink fruit.
The end is longer than most and deserves prime marks all-around. Cherry cordial lingers and mint builds to its excessive level. If I had a nit to select, it’s that the viscosity dissipates simply barely, not a lot undermining the flavour as making a texture shift I wasn’t fairly anticipating. However that’s a small critique at greatest. Redemption’s new 18 year-old bourbon is nice MGP whiskey, blended with talent approaching mastery. I liked these things.
103.4 proof.
A / $400 / redemptionwhiskey.com
Redemption The Ancients Assortment Bourbon 18 Years Previous
USD400
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