For our Christmas 2021 tasting we sampled:
- Bomberger’s Declaration 2020 Bourbon @ 54% ABV.
- Shenks Homestead 2020 Bourbon @ 45.6% ABV.
- Michters 10yr old Bourbon @ 47.2% ABV.
If any new tasting notes are found on a 2nd tasting they will be added in brackets in the relevant sections.
Bomberger’s Declaration 2020 54% ABV
Appearance
Quite a deep gold with an orange hue, nice syrupy swirl line with slow thick legs. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Nose
Cream soda, dusty, icing sugar, yeah a bacon thing going on too, a touch of menthol, linseed, 3 in 1 oil, sandalwood, cereals and grains, and flapjack. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Palate
The higher ABV is very evident, it’s slightly anaesthetising my palate tbh. Bakewell tarts, that dark strong cough mixture, fisherman’s friends, blood oranges, cloves, black cherries, cinnamon, some slightly bitter tannic notes too. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Dried apricots, cumin, and cardamom).
Bombergers 2020 explodes with spice in the mouth – clove oil, cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg. Very thick mouthfeel yet dry. Gives way to the undertone of honey fruits #TheWhiskeyChaps
— WhiskyWithMolly💙 (@WhiskyWithMolly) December 23, 2021
Finish
Long side of medium, lovely and warming, cherry lozenges, lots of black coffee, black treacle, molasses, rum like in some ways. I rather like this, the extra ABV is good, but it peaks quite quickly, takes a while to fade away though. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Bombergers 2020 54%ABV is an interesting dram. It grew on me as I sipped on it but not 100% sure I like it. Lets just leave it at very interesting! #TheWhiskeyChaps
— WhiskyWithMolly💙 (@WhiskyWithMolly) December 23, 2021
My thoughts
Yes i really enjoyed this bottling. The ABV really makes it a punchy Bourbon, with plenty of flavours, mainly ranging from stewed dark fruits into slightly bitter notes. I rather enjoy the entry level bourbons, the likes of Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 100, and Bulleit, but tasting these higher ABV Bourbons do bring another level of spice.
Shenks Homestead 2020
Appearance
Reddish tinge to this one, nice thick swirl line and slow thick legs. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Shenk’s 2020 Appearance: Very dark and oak, with an orange hue. Nice and oily,
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 23, 2021
coating the glass well #thewhiskeychaps
Nose
Slightly vegetal and botanical, strawberry lace sweets, aromatic woods, cherryade, dusty, and an evergreen bough thing going on. #TheWhiskeyChaps
There’s an aroma here I’m finding difficult to put my finger on. Nearest I can get is cold bacon. #TheWhiskeyChaps (rather sweet initially, sweet lemon and guava, with icing sugar, then the vegetal notes arrive).
Palate
Good ABV and nice mouthfeel, and the palate feels deeper, robust, and slowly warming up for me. Cinnamon, cumin, cigar leaves, figs, sultanas, Victoria plums, wood varnish, black treacle, liquorice, espresso, very nice this. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Black pepper and toasted tea cakes, cloves and iced fruit cake bring the palate to a close. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Dustiness, old leather, liquorice torpedo sweets, vanilla and butterscotch).
Shenks 2020 45.6% Palate: Cinnamon, Cloves, cardamon, Honey, Oaky. This is a lovely dram. #thewhiskeychaps
— WhiskyWithMolly💙 (@WhiskyWithMolly) December 23, 2021
Finish
Quite long for me, not a face slapping finish but quite elegant, the spices just go on and on, and I think it’ll just stop altogether. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Lovely warming ginger, cinnamon, like a gobstopper, cigar leaves, a mix of black and white pepper).
#thewhiskeychaps SH2020 Finish: lingering dark fruit, vanilla and a little smoke.
— Brian’s Malt Musings 💙 (@MaltMusings) December 23, 2021
Much more drinkable than the BD2020
My thoughts
Lovely stuff this Shenks Incredibly fruity. Mango, passionfruit, pineapple….so tropical! Wasn’t expecting this…a long way away from the usual oaky vanilla-fests! #TheWhiskeyChaps
— Whisky Daddy🥃 (@Jotterface) December 23, 2021
Of the 3 we tasted this evening, and all things considered, this was my favourite. The nose and palate profile were perfect for me, i could very easily see myself sitting with a drop of this one regularly 😍. I look forward to revisiting them again to update this overall review, but this is the one i’m looking forward to the most.
Michters 10yr old 47.2% ABV
Appearance
Deep gold with an orange hue, medium thick swirl line beads up straight away and drops medium thick legs and teardrops that just hang there. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Nose
Now this is different, smells like a mix of sweet bacon and mashed potatoes initially for me, I like that, this one also has vegetal notes, and juice from a tin of pear halves #TheWhiskeyChaps.
More aromatic wood now, a slight perfume aroma, and a really sweet fizzy fruit drink too. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Eucalyptus, Aloe vera, wood varnish, and botanicals).
Dram 3: Michters 10yo Single Barrell 47.2% Nose: Lovely sweet baking spices, candied fruit peel, dried fruits. A hint of menthol #TheWhiskeyChaps
— WhiskyWithMolly💙 (@WhiskyWithMolly) December 23, 2021
Palate
Definitely a menthol thing going on for me, pears and peaches, nice mouthfeel, though not quite syrupy. It’s becoming spicier now, it’s a grower alright, the spices mysteriously appear from behind a curtain. #TheWhiskeyChaps
Even though it’s becoming spicier it’s also becoming sweeter too. Spicy dark fruits mixed with Opal fruits, then ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, espresso, black liquorice, anise, cardamom. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Cherryade, sweet french mustard, mandarin segments, and bees wax).
#thewhiskeychaps M10 Palate: again a nice thick arrival, dried fruit, orange juice, a little nuttiness and @StillSurreal‘s Mash Potatoes. There is a big bite of cinnamon spice, some vanilla and some drying oak.
— Brian’s Malt Musings 💙 (@MaltMusings) December 23, 2021
Finish
I’m getting a beer/ale thing going on, then intense pineapple for a second, and it’s gone, then warming spices, a touch of blackcurrant and or grapefruit bitterness, but it’s all quite restrained, nice though. #TheWhiskeyChaps (Peanut brittle, medium length for most of the flavours, some do linger though).
My thoughts
Of these 3 Bourbons i rated this one last. This is mainly because the Shenks and Bombergers are very good in my humble opinion, and this one doesn’t reach the same level of flavour complexity for me, though i’m sure others will find it adequate enough. One aspect i did like more about this bottling is that the spice slowly comes forward, rather than jumping on you and giving you a beating 😁.
Overall tasting thoughts
We’ve enjoyed three Bourbon tastings now, this one being of three more expensive bottlings. I have to say i enjoyed each of them. Saying that i did find an order of preference. The Shenks i thought was the best, the aromas and flavours were perfect for me. The Bomberger’s was a spicy face slapper for me, and very nice also, and the Michters is a decent Bourbon, i found it lacked a little compared to the others though.
Agreed! #thewhiskeychaps https://t.co/I9FiFsOQdU
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 23, 2021
I’d go shenk’s, bomberger and then michter’s. #TheWhiskeyChaps
— Whisky Daddy🥃 (@Jotterface) December 23, 2021
My order of preference for tonight is definitely:
— WhiskyWithMolly💙 (@WhiskyWithMolly) December 23, 2021
1. Shenks
2. Bombergers
3. Michters#TheWhiskeyChaps
During this tasting we we’re very kindly joined by @MaltMusings, WhiskyWithMolly, @Jotterface and @TravisReaveley, feel free to give them a follow on twitter using the buttons below.
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