J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon Review

This J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon is a celebrity whiskey… for a fictional character. Named after John Ross “J.R.” Ewing Jr., played by Larry Hagman, who was a central character, and primary villain, on the show Dallas. He was such a good villain that TV Guide named him the greatest TV villain of all time. Not bad for a character who was initially set up as a supporting role.

I could dig deeper into this side of things, or I could just link out to the Wikipedia page I’m getting all of this info from; I’ve never seen a single episode of Dallas. I knew who Jr. Ewing was just because of the popularity of the show, but I never found myself sitting down to watch it. But I am sitting down to a glass of this villainous bourbon which I’m sure you’re just dying to know more about. So let’s get to drinkin’ and see if this is a whiskey worthy of a top TV villain.

J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Kentucky, USA

Distiller: Undisclosed (likely Heaven Hill or Barton)
Mash Bill: At least 51% Corn + Rye + Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 4 Years
ABV: 40%

Price: $35

White background tasting shot with the J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Aged in Kentucky for a minimum of four years, this bourbon is crafted in homage to J.R. Ewing, one of the most popular characters in the hit television series Dallas.” – Caskers

Tasting Notes

EYE
Light caramel

NOSE
Floral, butterscotch, oak, nutmeg, vanilla cake and herbal notes. It’s light, floral and not quite cohesive.

There’s something a touch off here. It’s disjointed and doesn’t remind me of any specific distillery.

PALATE
Butterscotch, oak, nutmeg, yellow cake and touch soapy, herbal and fruity.

J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon has this floral note that comes and goes in strength which keeps throwing me and I’m not enjoying… at all.

FINISH
Short -> Caramel, floral and fruity drifts quickly to a metallic nuttiness.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Not fully balanced, medium-light body and a light watery feel.

J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon – Overall Thoughts and Score

Bland… this is a bland whiskey. Light, oddly floral and slightly fruity but not in a powerful or interesting way. There’s not much happening and what is, is unpleasant, making this a whole bottle of no. To make things worse, as it slowly opens, there’s a note that reminds me of stale Corn Nuts that shows up, further fueling my distaste.

Whoever commissioned this whiskey did J.R. dirty. This J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon is not a worthy tribute to a pop culture icon. Then again… maybe it’s perfect. J.R. was an evil oil baron, always looking for ways to cheat and steal. In that light, maybe slapping his name on a bottle to sucker folks into paying $35+ for a $5 whiskey is exactly the kind of tribute the character would appreciate.

SCORE: 1.5/5

J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon Label

J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Bourbon Review $35

Summary

This is weak, less-than-mediocre, bourbon that’s really just hoping fans will buy it for the name. This is the exact reason why people hate these novelty releases.