It is very cold here in the Indianapolis area today, and what better way to beat the cold than with a glass of warm Bourbon. And today’s warming drink is Rowan’s Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Rowan’s is made by Willett Distillery, which has been around for a while but really started making a name for itself in the late 90’s. Most Bourbon drinkers would probably recognize their Pot Still Reserve Bourbon by the very original pot still shape of the bottle. The bottle’s name comes from a creek that runs through the distillery.
We could not find a mash bill, but Rowan’s Creek is 100 proof, aged at least 4 years, sells for $45, and comes in a very different-looking corked bottle that, at times, can be hard to find. The writing on the bottle is very whimsical and almost childlike, but we are not saying that in a bad way. There are a couple of things on the bottle that caught our eyes. The top label says that this Bourbon has been aged in charred oak barrels. Duh, all Bourbon is, or it can’t be called Bourbon. Another part of the label says it is made and bottled by hand. To be fair, we have seen this on other bottles but still do not know what it means. And lastly, on the back label, it says enjoy neat or with a splash of branch water. Being unfamiliar with this term, we looked it up, and the first description is water taken from a stream or brook. We’ll pass on that.
We here at Talking Bourbon have had mixed results from Willett. We are not big fans of their iconic Pot Still Reserve or Noah’s Mill, but we like both the Willett Family Estate Bourbon and Family Estate Rye. On a side note, this bottle was given to us by a friend because he didn’t like it. Some friend.
NOSE
Todd: While no dominating aroma, it still has quite a few nice scents, including vanilla, toffee, leather, spice, cereal, and a slight-toasted smell. Ice brings out more caramel.
Matt: Smells slightly hot with strong oak upfront. Also, get rye, yeast, vanilla, and caramel. Ice didn’t do anything.
TASTE
Todd: A little hot with a strong, musty taste. Besides some spice, not really getting the same things as the nose. On the tongue it is more bitter, with some wood and a slight taste that reminds me of a humidor. Ice calms down the mustiness and adds a nice bit of fruity apricot.
Matt: I was not expecting these tastes after smelling it. Getting wet wood, some rye, a little orange, some milk chocolate, and a bit of oak. Strangely, I also wrote down the humidor reference. Ice brought out a little sweetness.
FINISH
Todd: Medium to short with not a lot going on.
Matt: Medium with a bit more of the wet wood and spice.
OVERALL
Todd: While better with ice, not really my thing.
Matt: Not a lot going for it, especially at $45. Can think of a lot of bottles I would buy first.
Nose 3.5 out of 5
Taste 6 out of 10
Finish 2.75 out of 5
Total score 12.25 out of 20 barrels.
As the score shows, neither of us was overly impressed with this Bourbon. Again, as in other posts, it is not terrible, but there is just nothing that stands out, and for that price, something should. There are just way too many choices out there for us Bourbon lovers to settle for just anything.
In the end, while Rowan’s Creek Bourbon was a little better with some water, it was not our cup of tea, and if you value what we say, it probably won’t be yours either. Maybe if we had followed the bottle and gone and got some water from a stream or brook, things might have been different. If you try that, let us know how it went.