Up for review this week by Talking Bourbon is David Nicholson Reserve, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Nicholson is better known for the wheated Bourbon, 1843. They recently added this more traditional style Bourbon.
Here is a clip from their web site that supposedly happened in 1843:
“In the private back room of a grocery store on North 6th Street in St. Louis, Missouri, unbeknownst to its forefather, a legacy was born.”
DNRB comes in a short squat corked bottle and is 100 proof. It sells for around $38-$40 for the 750ml and is becoming more and more available where better spirits are sold. Unlike 1843, the Reserve has no wheat, just corn, Rye and malt. I was unable to find an age statement.
Joining the review is Erik. Erik is a web designer extraordinaire and a big fan of Bourbon. His favorite pour is Weller’s 12, hard to argue with that.
NOSE
Erik: Aromas of toffee, butterscotch and vanilla upfront with secondary scents of wood, caramel and varnish.
TB: Definitely get the sweet butterscotch, toffee and caramel scents that Erik mentioned. Also get hints of grain, fruit, tobacco and leather. Very nice nose.
TASTE
Erik: Picking up lots of strange things on the tongue. I get the sweetness from the nose as well the wood. But also tasting leather, apple, pear and now here comes the odd stuff, bubble gum and cola. It has a somewhat thin mouth feel.
TB: Bubble gum? I found it not as sweet as the nose had me prepared for. Not too hot neat but with no overwhelming taste. I pick up the wood, leather, tobacco and fruit from the nose but none of them really jump out. Also get hints of the Rye. Kind of a let down after the nose.
FINISH
Erik: Medium short with not much else to add.
TB: Medium with just a hint of cocoa.
OVERALL
Erik: I found it just okay, not bad for the price though.
TB: Not a real complex Bourbon, but not bad either. With today’s sky rocketing prices DNRB is not a bargain at $40 but you could do a lot worse.
Nose 4.5 out of 5
Taste 7.5 out of 10
Finish 3.5 out of 5
Total score 15.5 out of 20 barrels.
While we weren’t blown away with DNRB, it does make a decent sipper as well as a good mixer. And being under $40 you won’t feel bad about mixing it. While having a very good nose the taste and finish just wasn’t there.
Final verdict, at this price and if you can find it, buy a bottle and see for yourself. You just might like David Nicholson Reserve Bourbon.