Oh Taste & See: Wathen's Single Barrel Bourbon

Wathen's Kentucky Bourbon is one of those whiskeys that is a bit hard to figure out, at least in terms of exactly where, how, and by whom it was made. The bottle says that it was distilled in Kentucky, but it also says "Bottled By Charles Medley Distillery, San Jose, CA". To add further confusion, Wathen's website claims that the Charles Medley Distillery is in Owensboro, KY. That distillery is definitely there, and is owned by the Angostura company (of bitters fame) but I can't find any evidence that it has actually produced Bourbon in the recent past.

To add to the confusion, the bottle gives no age statement, so there's no way to work backwards to when this bourbon was made. So, I'll assume that Wathen's, in its current form, is made by one of the major distilleries and that the California-based company is merely the owner of the brand. If I had to bet on which distillery it comes from I would go with Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, but I'd love to hear a more definitive answer to this question. For now check this out for more on this part of the story.

All that mystery aside, there's no mystery as to the quality of the bourbon inside my Wathen's bottle - it is excellent. In fact this is one of the best bourbon's I've tried in a long time, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another bottle the next time I see one since it's fairly priced for a single-barrel bourbon at $37.99.

Note: This is a single barrel bourbon, so it could vary greatly from one batch to another. My bottle is listed as being from Barrel Number 304, bottled on 3/7/11.

Color: Wathen's has a classic, deep orange color reminiscent of polished maple furniture. Not too dark or too light, but a just right middle-ground.

Nose: The nose is a classic essence of sweet bourbon. There are hints of citrus, orange marmalade, vanilla, and oak. It's a clean, fresh aroma.

Flavor: Wathen's has a rich flavor that starts out sweet with raisins, vanilla, cherries, and oranges and then opens up to nice hot peppers and spice. A very smooth and pleasant bourbon to sip, and all the flavors hold up well to a couple cubes of ice for a hot summer day. Overall it's sweet without feeling sticky or heavy.

Finish: There's a nice bit of spicy burn on the tongue as the taste fades. The finish is smooth with long-lingering spice and grape flavors.

Overall this bourbon reminds me of another of my favorites, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, because it provides plenty of complexity in a very smooth, easy-drinking bourbon that still has some bite to it. Hopefully one day they'll tell us the full story on this delightful bourbon.