Hunter’s Select Barrel Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey

Thomas Fondano -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Leiper’s Fork Distillery is not disclosing the source, but it is a bourbon made in TN
  • MASH BILL: 72% Corn | 20% Rye | 8% Malted Barley
  • AGE: 9 years, 5 months, 11 days
  • YEAR: 2016 | Batch No. 2, Bottle 248 of 800
  • PROOF: 95 (47.5% ABV)
  • MSRP: $65.00 at the distillery gift shop

THOMAS' NOTES

NOSE: Cherry  |  Chocolate  |  Green Apple  |  Dr. Pepper

TASTE: Citrus  |  Vanilla  |  Corn  |  Spice. Most of the aromas in the nose don’t translate flavors on the palate.

FINISH: The first sip explodes with citrus oil notes. Spice, but not heat. Lingering finish with floral notes and warmth that spreads through your chest. A couple of drops of water smooth it out and reveal some cola flavors, but also make it a bit more tannic and drying.

SHARE WITH: Anyone who appreciates good bourbon, but especially the bourbon lover in your life who thinks all whiskey from Tennessee is “Old No. something.”

WORTH THE PRICE: At $65, yes. This is a well sourced and selected 9+ year bourbon that can hang with others in that price range.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: If you can find it in a bar, give it a try. Personally, I’d rather have a bottle at home that can evolve and open up over time.

OVERALL: While the name Hunter’s Select Barrel Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey may be confusing, this is a bourbon made in Tennessee and NOT a Tennessee whiskey. It has not gone through the Lincoln County Process of charcoal filtering before aging. This bottle improves significantly with time and rewards patience. My tasting notes from when I first opened the bottle to my second try a couple of weeks later were very different. Take your time with the bottle and savor it. Colonel Hunter is watching you.

If you’d like to know more about Leiper’s Fork Distillery check out this post that fellow Bourbon & Banter team member, Matt Self, wrote back in March 2017.

BRAND NOTES

This is truly a Tennessee bourbon whiskey comprised of 72% corn, 20% rye and 8% malted barley. While we did not create this bourbon, Hunter’s Select is hand selected and bottled by blending small lots of premium barrels of finished Tennessee bourbon. Hunter’s Select Barrel is created in honor of Colonel Henry Hunter who owned the property where Leiper’s Fork Distillery now resides. Moving to Middle Tennessee from North Carolina in the early 1800’s, Colonel Hunter was a War of 1812 veteran riding with Andrew Jackson from Tennessee to fight the British at the Battle of New Orleans. Upon his return he furthered his success as a local planter and distiller in Leiper’s Fork. He represents the true Spirit of Tennessee and why we are called the Volunteer State. This bourbon is a 9 year, 5 month and 11 day old bourbon. This whiskey has the maturity one would expect of its age, with vanilla and caramel notes and a soft finish.

Tasting Notes

  • Luscious butterscotch and caramel wrap with a light spice finish
  • Golden raisin and milk chocolate notes with fruit forward finish
  • Deep corn pudding and light spice and toasted nut frame sweet maple syrup with butterscotch overtones that lead to an oak finish