Whisky Connosr
Menu
Shop Join

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel 3301

Rich Ambler

0 393

@talexanderReview by @talexander

26th Nov 2017

1

  • Nose
    24
  • Taste
    23
  • Finish
    23
  • Balance
    23
  • Overall
    93

Show rating data charts

Distribution of ratings for this: user

  • Brand: Smooth Ambler
  • ABV: 59.6%

This is the last of a very generous birthday gift from @Nozinan. Smooth Ambler Spirits is a micro-distillery based in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. I don't know for sure if they distilled this though - the bottle says it is a curated whisky that was "scouted" (hence the name). After resting in barrel no. 3301 for ten years, it was bottled by Sarah on June 10 2016 (yes, Sarah signed her name as the bottler - that's pretty cool).

The colour is a medium-to-dark copper. On the nose we have deep, rich tobacco, dark mint chocolate, Demerara sugar and wet campfire. Very oaky after ten years. Beautiful herbal top notes. Malt vinegar. Blackberry jam. Rich, fruity and oaky but with a gentle breeze through an herb garden, blowing right in the middle. That herb garden gets closer with a drop of water. Works beautifully.

The palate is hot with mouth-pulling oak, overstepped tea, more jammy fruits and rum-raisin. Cayenne pepper is there but it's not overwhelming. Reminiscent of a George T. Stagg if it were lower proof. The palate doesn't quite have the complexity of the nose but it is still stunning - if you add water though it smooths out and brings out those herbs and chocolates that were dominated by the oak and heat.

The finish is nutmeg, liquorice all-sorts and twice-lit cigar. This is a beautiful bourbon, rich and full of complexity. The palate neat was a bit too overpowering but overall this is a very rich and satisfying bourbon. I wish I had other single barrels from them to compare it to.

3 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

That's wonderful that you have a great bottle.

Old Scout is MGPI sourced, from Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Smooth Ambler is distilling and aging its own juice, but none of it is 10 or even 7 years old yet.

6 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

You can compare it to my bottle but I suspect it will taste pretty similar...

6 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

@Victor I had figured but didn't want to say so in case I was wrong.

6 years ago 0

You must be signed-in to comment here

Sign in