Review 198: Old Grand-Dad 114

Let's keep things rolling in the new year with another bourbon review. My resolution this year is to drink more alcohol, because I simply was not active enough on the blog in 2014. Hopefully I can stick to this lofty goal ;-)

Anyway, today we have Old Gran-Dad 114 in the glass. Generally, I tend to favor Heaven Hill and Four Roses products over Beam bourbons like this. That is not to say that Beam is producing bad whisk(e)y, their flavor profile simply resonates least with me. However, Grandpa here has gotten a lot of love from many reviewers who I trust, though, so I figured I had to give it a try!

Old Grand-Dad 114

Color: Amber +1

ABV: 57%

Aroma Neat:
Brown Sugar, Maple Sugar Candy, Hominy, Cola Syrup, Dusty Books, Vanilla Pound Cake, Custard Long John (wow, exactly!), Mellow Cigar Tobacco, Menthol (slightly), Zinc, Lemon Drops, Nutmeg, White Pepper (slightly).

What a nose on this baby! Dessert and smoke (with some cough drops afterward...). Not much noticeable alcohol despite the high ABV.

Aroma with Water:
Dried Corn, Dried Mint, Well-Aged Cigars, Vanilla Bean, Marshmallows (the big ones), Whipped Cream, Doughy Fondant, Hazelnut Truffles/Frangelico Liqueur (awesome!), Clove, Allspice, White Pepper, Resinous Oak.

I have no idea how old this bourbon is, but it unquestionably well matured. 

Taste Neat:
Coffee/Chocolate/Orange (all together and amazing), Spicy Tobacco, Dried Spearmint (slightly), White Pepper, Gingerbread, Cinnamon, Dusty Ground Grains, Rye Bread, Dried Dates, Brown Sugar.

Not surprisingly, this is bit hot on the tongue at 57% ABV so neat analysis requires very tiny sips. Even neat this bourbon has a delicious profile. Even with tiny sips, I can tell this is a really good bourbon.

Taste with Water:
Buttery Grains, Nutty Coffee, Rye Spice, Cinnamon, Dried Mint, Tea Leaves, Dry Honey, Freshly Hewn Oak, Fresh Char, Maple Syrup, Sweet Aromatic Smoke (from a pipe, maybe),

Complex, just like every other aspect of this bourbon. If I had to pick out one favorite note, it would have to be the char. It's a fresh, if that makes sense. Some bourbons have a stale, ashy, char quality, but Old Grand-Dad 114's is fresh and vibrant. It's like sticking your head in a barrel that was just fired (I imagine...).

Finish:
Cola, Lightly Roasted Coffee Beans, Oversteeped Tea, Dark (very) Chocolate, Clean Char, Mint, Fine Fresh Burley Pipe Tobacco, Fudgey Chocolate.

Classic, balanced, long lasting finish. 

Conclusion:
Really complex nose that just keeps on developing. Definitely one of the best noses on a bourbon that I have every enjoyed. Not too dark or too sweet, but instead incredibly complex and engaging with classic bourbon notes of corn and brown sugar, but also with minty and spicy notes from the rye (I believe this is a high-rye bourbon) and surprising desert and fruit notes. Killer!

Palate goes from sweet to dry, and is multilayered and interesting throughout. Great development and complexity. Good form, as I think Ralfy would say.

Textbook finish of long duration.

Rating: 93/100



Getting a bourbon at 114 proof for 20 USD is a rather impressive bargain, providing the whisky is of reasonable quality. I don't factor price into my ratings (at least not consciously), but instead simply assess perceived quality. If value was a factor for me, though, that would probably scale this whisk(e)y up to 98%. Take that as you will. Amazingly, this bourbon is also excellent. Do yourself a favor and stock up.

This and Elmer T Lee are tied as my current favorite bourbons. In fact, Grand-Dad may have a leg up on the Lee because it is not single barrel. While the bottle of Lee I bought obviously came from an amazing barrel, your mileage may vary. Grand-Dad is going to be the more consistent product.

Josh