Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon Review

The first thing I have to say about Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon is that I love the bottle. The art-deco design is a delight and it’s actually easy to hold. Far too often when you get a great looking bottle it’s a pain in the ass to use. It holds well, pours easily and had no struggle getting the whiskey into my glass. It gets an A on form and function.

Tom's Town Double Oaked Bourbon

Before we jump into the bourbon review I want to address the “Double Oaked” part of the name in this bourbon. It’s not a double barrel, but a double oak because they insert French and American oak staves to enhance the sourced bourbon that’s matured in new charred oak barrels… which sounds familiar

Who else uses French and American oak staves to enhance a whiskeys flavor. Where have I heard of that being done before… oh right. Maker’s 46. I wouldn’t exactly call copying Maker’s Mark innovative, but I do have to give them kudos for not just bottling some MGP and calling it day, at least they’re trying.

Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In Tom’s Town’s Words:

Our innovative wood stave finishing process begins with traditinal aging in white American oak barrels, and is complemented by a second aging with French and American oak staves which are inserted later in the process. The staves bring out notes of caramel, without the bitterness that can come with additional aging. This is a crowd-pleasing bourbon that’s perfect for cocktails.

Details for the Tom's Town Double Oaked Bourbon

Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Indiana, USA

Distiller: MGP
Bottler: Tom’s Town Distilling Co
Mash Bill: 21% Rye,
Cask: New Charred Oak + American and French oak stave inserts
Age: 2 Years
ABV: 45%

Price: $37*

Tasting Notes

EYE
Dark honey

NOSE
Caramel, butterscotch, raw grain, dried fruit and some bubblegum.

PALATE
Orchard fruit, spice, vanilla, oak and a bit of grain and bubblegum.

FINISH
Med-short -> Fruity and some toffee.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, light body and a light watery feel.

Bottled at 45%, aged 2 years, priced around $37. It’s an ok whiskey with some interesting facets. A bit more maturity and it’ll be something interesting.

Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon Review: Overall and Score

A light, sweet and fruity bourbon that doesn’t match the mental image of its name. The Aroma comes through lightly but dominated with dark sweets and grain; Palate also comes through lightly but it’s more sweet and fruity; Finish is a fairly quick fade of fruit. It’s an ok whiskey in a great looking bottle.

Tom’s Town Double Oaked Bourbon is a young MGP bourbon that’s been given the Maker’s 46 treatment. A treatment that’s enhanced the fruity nature of the whiskey. There is a light bubblegum thread that weaves its way through the whole whiskey, which I attribute to the French Oak. It’s light enough to not kill the experience, but it’s still a note I’m not a big fan of.

Conceptually it’s fun to see what the Maker 46 treatment does to a rye’d bourbon compared to a wheated one. For years I’ve been hoping Maker’s and Four Roses would take a queue from the beer world and do a collaboration. Four Roses brings the mature bourbon, Maker’s brings the staves and we all get something new and trying this makes me want to see it become a reality even more.

SCORE: 77/100 (C+)