Stanhope Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Stanhope Kentucky Straight Bourbon, NAS, 44.8%

A brand by Artisan Spirits, and distilled at Owensboro Distilling Co., Kentucky, USA. Their brand tagline for Stanhope is ‘Born in Scotland, Crafted in the USA’.

“Each bottle features a design of the Stanhope Carriage to bring the history directly on to the bottle and links back to Peter Holmes who in 1879 returned to Glasgow from the States to set up Peter Holmes Carriage Builders.”

The mash bill is 70% Kentucky crown corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. See more info at the Stanhope Whiskey website.

Nose: Vanilla is complemented by a subtle oakiness, while caramel introduces light hints of well-worn leather. As time progresses, additional notes emerge, including pencil shavings and floral perfume.

Taste: Medium body. A sugary sweetness followed by the taste of artificial sweetener. Notes of vanilla and pear emerge, complemented by a hint of white pepper. The overall experience is slightly rough around the edges.

Finish: The finish is brief yet feels increasingly unrefined. It presents notes of pepper, oak planks, and ginger, complemented by maple syrup and mint. There is also a noticeable presence of artificial sweetener, resulting in a somewhat numbing sensation.

Comment: Not really what I was hoping for.

Score 73/100

Sláinte!
-Thomas