Each Breckenridge reserve blend is blended to have unique expressions that bring out the classic flavors of bourbon. Expression notes ranging from brown sugar, molasses, and caramel to dried orange peel with cardamom, vanilla and rye spice. Breckenridge blends upwards of three different expressions at a time, allowing the discerning connoisseur to choose for themselves.
Since the company’s beginning, Breckenridge has been blending their own distillate with sourced stock. The ratio of their own distillate versus sourced seemed to favor sourced, as their releases tasted closer to a typical aged Kentucky bourbon than a younger craft one. Breckenridge is still blending their own distillate with sourced bourbon, but based on this tasting, the ratio now seems to favor their own.Despite being founded 10 years ago, Breckenridge Reserve does not taste like what you would expect from a distillery that has been around for that long. Be it growing pains or an over-reliance on sourced whiskeys during their early years, any head start the company had, seems to have evaporated.
Taken as is, it is hard to find many major faults with its sweet and traditional bourbon flavors. Like most young whiskeys, its grain-forwardness will not be for everyone. It tastes more like a 3–4-year-old bourbon with some (slightly) older stock blended in to help round it out. Breckenridge still has some work to do with their Reserve Blend release, but unlike many craft distilleries, it is priced right. This goes a long way towards respecting the bourbon consumer and is something we just do not see enough of right now. As this product matures, that good karma may just do Breckenridge a lot of good soon.Made from yellow corn, green rye, and malted barley and aged two to three years.
Although young, this Award-Winning Whiskey combines a mixture of vanilla, caramel and oak flavors that fade into a fruity, spicy finish accomplishing an overall depth of flavor. The nose is a pleasing, no nonsense burst of butterscotch, vanilla, apple, and cherry. It is straightforward and presented in an enjoyable degree of intensity. One half of the palate leans heavily on caramel, with the other leaning on grain youthfulness. The bourbon finishes with mild oak intensity that downplays its youthful side and balances its overall sweetness.
There is also a bit of ethanol punchiness that is hard to ignore.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Bright glowing bronze
Nose: Coffee with Vanilla Syrup
Palate: Stewed fruit, Rye, Burnt Toast
Finish: A rich complexity that calls you back for more
Classification: Blend of Straight Bourbons
Mashbill: 56% corn, 38% rye, and 6% malted barley.
Brand Innovator of the Year / 2018 Icons of Whisky
Whisky Magazine Award Best American Blended
2018 World Whiskeys Awards Best American Blended
2017 World Whiskeys Awards Best American Blended
2016 World Whiskeys Awards
