There’s just not a whole lot about this 16 Year Old Collector’s Item Bourbon online. The only real information I could find is that Dowling has a tumultuous history. Owned by a number of different people and at one point being just bottlers.
The Dowling brand appears to now be owned by Heaven Hill, but unfortunately I don’t have any info on where this whiskey came from. Being Bonded the DSP should be listed, but I didn’t write it down and it’s not on the label or in any of my photos… anyways, on to the 16 Year Old Collector’s Item Bourbon review.
16 Year Old Collector’s Item Bourbon Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Bottled By: Dowling Distillers
Mashbill: at least 51% corn
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 16 (53-69)
ABV: 50%
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller
16 Year Old Collector’s Item Bourbon Review
EYE
Ruddy caramel
NOSE
Dark fruit, oak, char, citrus, mineral water, caramel, vanilla and a bit of spice. Fairly standard and… well… standard.
PALATE
Dark fruit, oak, vanilla, caramel, musty, cinnamon and some soap. That soap note gets me every time; I’m immediately transported back to the first time I said SHIT in front of my parents and got a mouthful of it.
FINISH
Medium soapy fade with bits of oak, dark fruit and vanilla.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Decent balance, medium body and a soft feel
OVERALL
16 Year Old Collector’s Item Bourbon is really interesting, but not amazing – which surprises me. I was expecting a whole lot more out of this, but after three glasses I was still just kinda so-so on it; partially because of the soap. The aroma is nice, the palate is flavorful before it turns a bit soapy and then that soapiness stays through the finish. The oak is also remarkably light for a 16-year-old; tasted blind I would have thought this was around 4 years old.
Still, it was pretty cool to try. I know how easy it is to get jaded about things after a while and I try my hardest not to. There are some whiskeys that excited me back in “the day” that no longer do it for me and I see that as a natural progression. It’s difficult at times, especially at certain levels of tastings, but that’s when I have to sit back and remind myself that whiskey is supposed to be fun, drinking with your friends is supposed to be fun, and while this particular whiskey was so-so the evening I got to try it was a blast.
SCORE: 83-86/100 (B, consumed at a tasting)
Thanks to SKU for the evening and Adam for the whiskey.
