Next month, September, is National Bourbon Heritage Month, but I thought we’d get a jump on it with a quick run of bourbon reviews starting with this 1981 Daviess County Bourbon. A birth-year dusty that should hint to what’s coming up over the next three reviews.
The Daviess County Distilling Company was founded in 1873 and operated successfully, slowly gaining a name for itself, until 1904 when it was bought by George E. Medley and Dick Meschendorf (yes THOSE Medley’s). They operated the distillery until prohibition shut them down in 1920.
Like most distilleries, they struggled after prohibition and sold the distillery to Fleischman Distilling in 1940. The distillery was eventually sold to United Distillers (Diageo) and then closed 90s. Sku also has some info and thoughts on this one if you’re interested.
1981 Daviess County Bourbon – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Daviess County Distilling Company
Mash Bill: At least 51% Corn + Rye + Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 4 Years
ABV: 40%
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (Dusty)
Tasting Notes
EYE
Light amber
NOSE
Old Bottle Effect (musty), tangerine-like citrus, oak, cornbread, caramel and root beer float.
PALATE
OBE, caramel, vanilla, tangerine-like citrus, root beer, grain sweetness and bits of spice, oak and menthol.
FINISH
Med-short -> Caramel, wood, spice and menthol.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Decent balance, med-light body and soft, tad watery, feel.
1981 Daviess County Bourbon – Final Thoughts and Score
Aroma is not complex, but pleasant and unusual in a “basic old bourbon” kind of way – it gets a bit floral as it opens and the caramel ramps up a bit more as well; Palate is also not complex, rather basic again, but pleasant and approachable nonetheless with the grain sweetness increasing as it opens; Finish comes through with a light touch that fades out like a menthol cigarette on the wind.
Minus the musty OBE, the 1981 Daviess County Bourbon could do alright in today’s market. It doesn’t have that oaky depth most of your basic bourbons of today have, like Wild Turkey 101 or Evan Williams BiB, but it has character, nuance and interesting aspects.
In fact, it has a lot of similarities to the Still Austin “The Musician” Bourbon. It’s sweet and light without being totally gutless and there’s a slight bite to it. That bite, that edge, gives it a dimension that makes it almost a consideration after a long day… almost.
SCORE: 2.5/5
1981 Daviess County Bourbon Review N/A
Overall
2.5- Nose (2.5)
- Palate (2.5)
- Finish (2.5)
- BBF (2.5)
User Review
0 (0 votes) Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)Summary
Light, musty (OBE) and a touch spicy, this is a whiskey that is worth a try if you find it hanging out somewhere and is at a price you can live with. It’s an interesting taste of history.
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