Doc Swinson’s French Toasted Exploratory Cask Straight Bourbon arrives at 55.4% ABV, mash bill: 1: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% mal. Priced at $80/ 750ml bottle, we assessed it with care.
Nose
This is amber in color with a golden undertone. Doc Swinsons French Toasted Exploratory Cask Straight Bourbon was many things on the nose: sweet, spicy, fruity, and warm. The classic vanilla note is present, but more spice-influenced like aged rum. There are notes of ripe bananas, cola, and caramel. There is a whisper of chocolate and a hint of matcha green tea. I found the heavy toasted spice notes to be a little overwhelming, making me think of whiskeys finished in Sherry barrels. Dont tell SFWSC, but the aromatics just werent my cup of tea. In the wine world, French oak is as de rigueur as French vocabulary and using too much of both. French oak can dominate delicate wines, which is what I thought happened here. For this whiskey, the oak is a bit too brash for me and not in keeping with the subtlety of the rest of the line up.rnrnIt is very, very good, but I just doesnt speak to me.
Palate
In the mouth, the bourbon is sweet and viscous with a moderate astringency from grippy tannins. The flavors are rich and bordering on cloying. On the grain side, I pick up notes of corn flakes and toasted oatmeal bread. For fruit, I taste notes of ripe watermelon and baked cherry pie. There are evident notes of vanilla and melted milk chocolate that seem to bounce between the forefront and background as the flavors linger on the tongue. It comes off a touch hot and a little cloying when neat. Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
Finish
Aged for over five years in new American white oak barrels and finished in toasted French oak casks for 5.5 months and 9.5 months, 55.4% ABV, mash bill: 1: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley and 2: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley, SRP $80/ 750ml bottle.
Verdict
Doc Swinson’s French Toasted Exploratory Cask Straight Bourbon represents solid craftsmanship at $80/ 750ml bottle. While it may not redefine expectations, it offers genuine quality and reliable drinking pleasure.
