Like the Ingram rye I reviewed not too long ago, the O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof spends time maturing in Ingram’s floating rickhouse. A lot of attention goes into the motion of the barrels and there is a lot of debate as to what it does or doesn’t contribute. Me, I think it’s minor. The real star of maturation is humidity and temperature.
Being on the river they get wide swings of temperature, but they also get a lot of that all-important humidity. I’ve had the theory for years that one of the key factors to well matured, non-woody, whiskey is humidity and that’s something Frey Bourbon proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. Of all the factors of the whole river setup, I think that’s the one most at play here.
Let’s get to drinkin’!
O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Bourbon (Straight)
Region: Indiana, USA
Distiller: MGP
Mash Bill: At least 51% Corn + Rye + Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 4+ Years
ABV: 52.5%
O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof Price: $70*
Related Whiskey
O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey
Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage 24
Jefferson’s Ocean Batch 21
Redemption Bourbon
Ezra Brooks Bourbon
O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof Tasting Notes
EYE
Dark amber
NOSE
Oak, dried fruit, baking spice, birthday cake and candle wax, nuts and a slight candy sweetness.
A nice warm, inviting aroma with a surprising, but not detracting, amount of sweetness.
PALATE
Oak, caramel, dried dark fruit, leather, graham, baking spice and a touch of menthol.
Darker, deeper, more rustic palate that brings a nice warmth.
FINISH
Med-long -> Caramel, oak and spice fade to cocoa and spice.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Well-balanced, full body and a warm heavy feel.
O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof- Overall Thoughts and Score
This blew past my expectations, which were pretty low, and I ended up enjoying this sample quite a bit. It’s not every day you get a good smelling, good tasting whiskey combined with an informative and transparent label. It’s a combo I can’t help but feel good about while sipping it… or mixing it. It makes an excellent Old Fashioned.
I like what they’re doing, I like that they’re open about sourcing from MGP but then take the aging into their own hands to make something a bit different in the market. There’s no marketing BS here, just an interesting experiment in environmental factors and whiskey maturation. An experiment you can drink.
SCORE: 4/5 (good, definitely recommend ~ B+ | 87-89)
*Disclosure: The sample for this Bourbon review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 105 Proof Review $70
Overall
4- Nose (4)
- Palate (4)
- Finish (4)
- BBF (4)