Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon Review

Curt McAdams -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: American Freedom Distillery
  • MASH BILL: 70% Corn (Yellow Dent 2) | 20% Wheat (Soft red  winter) | 10% Barley (Two-row, combination distillers malt and base two-row)
  • AGE: Undisclosed
  • YEAR: 2019
  • PROOF: 95 Proof (47.6% ABV)
  • MSRP: $59.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com

CURT'S NOTES

NOSE: Toasted Corn | Toffee | Fruitcake | Uncooked Grain | Acetone

TASTE: Caramel | Apricot | Lightly Roasted Nuts | White Pepper | Acetone

FINISH: The acetone unfortunately comes through in the finish, too, but the Kentucky Hug is long-lasting and pleasant. There’s also a really nice heat right at the back of the mouth long after the hug is gone.

SHARE WITH: People that are more patriotic than bourbon drinkers.

WORTH THE PRICE: No. The base of the whiskey is pleasant, but the acetone/shellac is there throughout.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bust. As much as I, as a veteran, want to like this whiskey, it's not one I can recommend.

OVERALL: There is a great story behind this whiskey. The US responded to 9/11 attacks with insertions of small teams of Green Berets mounted on horseback, called the Horse Soldiers and are honored at Ground Zero by the America’s Response Monument. Some of these men got together to make Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey.

As a veteran myself, how can I not want this whiskey to be great? Unfortunately, the base of a nice whiskey is ruined with overtones of less pleasant things. Honestly, it’s a drinkable whiskey, and the good parts on their own would probably be worth a bottle, but I can’t get past the fact that I get past this acetone/shellac overtone. I tasted this over a couple of months, hoping it improved, and parts of it did, but not enough to save this whiskey for me.

BRAND NOTES

One of the most lush and rich Whiskeys on the market.

The nose is walnuts, prunes, and floral notes.  The palate mimics the nose with walnuts, prunes, spices, intertwined with lavender and balanced with the perfect amount of acid, that leads you down a path of lingering burnt caramel.

Tasting notes courtesy of: Bill Thomas, Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Disclaimer: American Freedom distillery provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.