When we set out to taste and share our thoughts on this bourbon, we were a little apprehensive at first. We suppose you could say that about any whiskey or bourbon that we've never tasted, but we were worried that the "river aged" statement might be more of a sales gimmick. Of course the Mississippi River has been used for hundreds of years, allowing distillers a more convenient way to transport their product. But why would you age your whiskey on a barge on the river? Well, one advantage is that the whiskey is in constant contact with all sides/ends of the barrel with the constant gentle movement of the river's dance. Some would argue that this helps develop the familiar whiskey flavors faster and with more intensity. Let's find out!
The mash bill on this O H Ingram Whiskey offering is 70% corn, 21% wheat and 9% malted barley. The absence of rye provides a smoother and sweeter bourbon and an extremely easy drinker. On the nose we initially noticed a great deal of tropical fruit, orange juice, espresso bean and polished leather. It is immediately both inviting and intriguing. First tastes (neat, of course) provided flavors of apple pie, cinnamon, honeycomb and the citrus that stayed the course throughout the entire tasting experience. When you first taste this, you find that this initially seems to be higher than 105 proof, but this quickly mellows out to a very pleasant and welcoming finish.
We tasted this the next night and were met with a very similar experience but adding in hints of cherry pipe tobacco on the nose and chocolate-covered coffee beans on the palate. Each bottle cap displays the barge number where the whiskey was aged. We really were blown away by this bourbon and are seriously impressed by what O H Ingram is doing here.
