Remus Volstead Reserve Bourbon Review
The first time I smelled my sample of Remus Volstead Reserve, I thought my nose had gone wrong. What I was smelling just didn’t compute in my brain. I took a walk to settle my mind and tried again. Same thing.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: George Remus Distilling Co. (MGP Ingredients)
- MASH BILL:Remus Volstead Reserve is a mingling of several bourbon batches with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley mashed and distilled during the Fall season of 2005.
- AGE: 14 years
- YEAR: 2019
- PROOF: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
- MSRP: $199.99
- Where To Buy: Available for markets where George Remus Bourbon is currently sold.
POPS' REVIEW OF REMUS VOLSTEAD RESERVE
NOSE: Sweet Leather | Sour Fruit | Fudge | Oak | Spiced Oranges
TASTE: Salted Caramel | Oak Spice | Orange Zest
FINISH: Long finish of sweet leather, baking spices and a hint of orange peel.
SHARE WITH: This is an easy sipper for bourbon lovers but best enjoyed with folks you know who have a palate that can tease it apart and appreciate the balance of it all.
WORTH THE PRICE: It's priced as you'd expect for a limited, one-time release. When compared to similar releases, I would recommend hunting down a bottle if you can afford it.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: For those with the budget, this is definitely a bottle. If $199 is too steep, I would do what you can to try a glass at your favorite watering hole.
OVERALL: The first time I smelled my sample of Remus Volstead Reserve, I thought my nose had gone wrong. What I was smelling just didn't compute in my brain. I took a walk to settle my mind and tried again. Same thing. Next, I smelled my arm (a tried and true method of resetting one's sense of smell) and no change. "What the hell is going on?" I asked myself.
I finally decided that what I was smelling was not something "off," but instead, a very unique combination of aromas. I was picking up the sweet aroma of wet leather mixed with sour fruit (almost like sour candy). A bit jarring at first, I started to enjoy the unique clash of scents accompanied by hints of fudge, oak, and spiced oranges. While it wasn't what I've come to expect from older MGP releases, it had my attention and beckoned me to dive in further.
The first sip brought salted caramel, oak spice, and orange zest wrapped up in a nicely balanced mouthfeel. It didn't have the bold and intense flavors other mature MGP bourbons typically exhibit. Still, it made up for that by bringing together very nuanced flavors with good balance. The balance continued into a long finish of sweet leather, baking spices, and another dash of orange peel.
Overall, I really enjoyed my sample of Remus Volstead Reserve. I continue to be impressed by the blending work being done by David Witmer and his team at MGP. I once wished MGP would release their own single barrel products (in line with the flavor profiles of single barrels released by Smooth Ambler and Belle Meade), but now I can honestly say I'm glad they're focusing on bringing something to the market that others can't. In my opinion, MGP's experience in blending is a huge differentiator. I'm enjoying the ride as they continue to bring new products to the market like Remus Volstead Reserve and their annual George Remus Repeal Reserve Series releases.
If you have the budget, and luck of finding a bottle, make sure to grab it and share it with friends who can appreciate the subtle nuances that master blending brings to the party. I will be putting out my feelers for my own bottle as well since my sample didn't survive this review.
BRAND NOTES
A ONE-TIME RELEASE FOR ONE‑OF‑A‑KIND COLLECTORS
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Volstead Act - and King George’s “creativity” in finding loopholes in that Act - we are proud to introduce Remus Volstead Reserve. This ultra-premium bourbon is a one-time release that has been aged for 14 years, in honor of the 14 years of Prohibition.
Releasing in late 2019, Remus Volstead Reserve is designed to attract collectors with a high-end, individually numbered glass bottle and commemorative box.
Bottled-in-bond and 100 proof, this limited 2005-aged reserve bourbon has rich aromas of dried candied fruit and caramelized pecans to balance the robust flavors of rich oak and barrel char that intensify the tasting experience.
Simply put, Remus Volstead Reserve is the ultimate tribute to the law that began George Remus’ legendary bootlegging empire.
Aroma: Rich dried candied fruit, caramelized pecans, oak.
Taste: Robust and rich oak flavors dominate the forward and body of this Bourbon. Balanced cherry and caramel touches compliment the oak in the body, and intensify in the finish. Pleasant notes of leather and spice round out the finish, and great oak and barrel char notes linger until the next sip.
MGP ANNOUNCES REMUS VOLSTEAD RESERVE, BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON TO MARK THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROHIBITION
ONE-TIME RELEASE IS BOTTLED-IN-BOND FROM 2005 BOURBON, CRAFTED IN MGP’S HISTORIC DISTILLERY IN LAWRENCEBURG, INDIANA
July 8, 2019 (Lawrenceburg, IN) – MGP will release Remus Volstead Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a one-time rare, reserve Bourbon, in November 2019. The new release coincides with the 100th anniversary of the start of National Prohibition – under the Volstead Act – that enforced the 18thAmendment outlawing the production and distribution of alcoholic spirits in the U.S. First ratified on January 16, 1919 and enacted one year later, the 18th Amendment ended in 1933, earning historic status as the only constitutional amendment to be entirely repealed.
“Prohibition launched an era of social change which created legends such as George Remus, King of the Bootleggers, and a speakeasy culture that persists to this day,” says Andrew Mansinne, Vice President of Brands, MGP Ingredients. “Remus Volstead Reserve is made from our finest 14-year aged reserves and has spent the same time in barrel as this country spent under Prohibition. Like this singular historic era, our Volstead Reserve is one-of-a-kind.”
Remus Volstead Reserve is bottled-in-bond from 2005 bourbons crafted at MGP’s historic distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and bottled at 100-proof. Remus Volstead Reserve has rich aromas of dried candied fruit, caramelized pecans, oak, char and tobacco. Robust and rich oak flavors dominate the forward palate and body of this bourbon. Balanced cherry and caramel touches compliment the oak in the body, and intensify in the bourbon’s finish. Pleasant notes of leather and spice round out the finish, and oak and barrel char notes linger until the next sip.
Available as of November 2019, Remus Volstead Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey retails for a suggested $199.99 per 750-ml bottle. The packaging is designed for collectors with a high-end glass bottle and commemorative box. This limited, 2005-aged reserve Bourbon will never be repeated. No more than 500 9-liter cases will be available for markets where George Remus Bourbon is currently sold.
Disclaimer: George Remus Distilling Co. 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.