I have been looking forward to getting my hands on Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve. Bottled at 58.5% abv, it promises genuine character.
Nose
American single malt; 117 proof, 58.5% abv. Color: Amber
Palate
Gently nosing this you are greeted with cherry wood, fresh oak, brandy and wine sweetness, plumbs and some toffee/brittle. Surprisingly the abv is muted, its present, but not as strong as I was anticipating. No denying it, this is a cherry and spice bomb! Robust and full of flavor, this whiskey shows up. The mouthfeel is surprisingly watery, I would have imagined a bit more viscous feel. After a minute it opens up to backing spices and tart cherry juice. Breathing out for the second sip you find a little saltiness. The finish has a few tannic notes but those dissipate into cherries and pepper. You cannot escape the proof towards the end of the sip and into the finish, the nearly 60% abv warms the body.
Finish
This was a fun whiskey! The proof was just about perfect and it did what I think a reserve whiskey should do, it showed off. What I appreciated about this whiskey is it was unapologetic and turned the volume up to 9. There were areas of restraint which helped me appreciate some of the complexity, but for the most part the key pieces of the whiskey were turned almost all the way up.rnrnYou are either going to like this or you wont. The proof, combined with the cherry and spices, means this is not a whiskey for all seasons. However, if youve got a full body robusto cigar youve been meaning to light up on a cold Minnesota evening, this whiskey would be nearly a perfect pairing.
The Bottom Line
Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve delivers the goods. It is well-made, genuinely enjoyable, and represents solid value for what you are getting. I would happily buy this again.
