.jpg)
Known formerly by the name "1792 Ridgemont Reserve", 1792 Small Batch Bourbon is produced by Barton 1792 and is the entry point to the 1792 brand, being a slight step up from their Very Old Barton (VOB) product line. The namesake is the year that Kentucky became a state. The 1792 lineup is filled out by Full proof, Bottled-in-Bond, Sweet wheat, High Rye, Port Finish and "Aged 12 Years". Most of the higher proof 1792 offerings were hunted to extinction during the and after COVID, but I am seeing them with some regularity now. Barton, owned by Sazerac, is known to make the Kirkland and Wolcott series of store label whiskies which taste and feel very much like 1792. While big Sazerac has been fixated on Buffalo Trace expansion, Barton feels relatively neglected though supposedly they are aligning some of their production processes with their much awarded sister brand.
🛒Sourced: Commonly $29.99 for 750ml
A gift from my brother's Girlfriend, thanks for contributing to my hobby!
🧪Proof: 93.7 proof, 46.85% ABV - Very Precise and a bit funny, 94 and 92 proof were too pedestrian I suppose.
🎨Color: R3 - A pale yellow-orange sun
🥔Mash Bill & Production: Allegedly 74% corn, 18% Rye, and 8% malted barley - Note that this is conjecture and is not disclosed by Barton. It is considered to be around the entry point to the "high rye" classification of bourbons. There has been some gossip over the years that the Very Old Barton recipe is actually 75/15/10. After tasting it, I think that this second mash bill seems more likely.
Other bottle Statistics:
- Char - #3.5 barrel char
- Age - No Age statement - We know it's at least four years and it drinks closer to that than the 8-year age statement that the Ridgemont Reserve label once had. My personal belief is that the small batch series sits somewhere around 4-5 years depending on demand (if they're not selling that age probably creeps up but it's likely they dump more into private labels) while the single barrel and full proof iterations taste a couple years older.
- Barrel Entry Proof - 125
- Batch Size - Could be anything, small batch is not a regulated term. Supposedly all 1792 iterations are made from select barrels that meet quality standards above those required for the VOB lines.
- Chill Filtered: Yes
👃Nose: Plenty of vanilla, mild mannered, and with some chocolate complements to host.
😜Palate: Old wood, perhaps slightly dusty, compliments with some malt extract. A medium body has more heft than I would have expected and firmly shakes your palate. I get two distinct phases on the tongue, first the oak vanilla and then a sweet cooked mash. With some oxidation, I can pick out some licorice and plum in the second-half slurry. The rye influence is muted and mostly in a slight pepperiness to the finish.
💦Finish: Not overly short and with a pleasant amount of heat. Enough that some may not deem it smooth, but it is actually quite comforting. The sweet mash transitions into Queen Anne's cherries.
🏆 Overall: 6.25/10 - Very Good, I'm Surprised - My first and only 1792 experience to this point was a couple rocks double pours on a cruise ship, far from the ideal tasting conditions and not leaving much of an impression. I've had mixed results with the Kirkland and Wolcott bottlings also from Barton, but I am quite pleased with this 1792 flagship. It converts on a balanced drinking experience with fruit, warmth, and poise. I had passed over the BIB and Single Barrel editions just because they have been so hard to find, but now I am quite motivated to seek them out.
💵Would buy again? Sure, it's perhaps a tad more expensive than some of my other go-to bottles, but I could see it in the rotation.
⚖️Rating Scale:
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws | Struggle to get through the bottle
4 | Fine | Serviceable| | Mixing or ice recommended.
5 | Good | Drinkable Neat | An agreeable dram indeed.
6 | Very Good | Any flaws offset by interesting flavors | A cut above.
7 | Great | You find yourself reaching for this one often | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Serve to Impress Guests | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite | You guard this bottle jealously.
10 | Perfect | You didn't think anything could be this good | A clear champion.