A four-leaf clover has (obviously) four leaves. Each leaf is said
to hold four different meanings: Hope,
faith, love, and luck.
To Bobby Jones, those four words were his life.
Born on St. Patrick's Day
in 1901, Jones was one of the world's premier golfers. He was the only one ever
to win the original grand slam. He was a scholar who obtained degrees in
English from Harvard and Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech and was
admitted to law school at Emory University.
Jones was a war hero. When
presented with a ceremonial command during World War II, he declined and volunteered
to battle at Normandy Beach as an infantry captain.
Bobby Jones set the
standard of what an athlete should be. Ethics were important
to him, so much so that he lost a golf tournament by a single stroke because he
noticed he earned a penalty when none was assigned. He made such an impression
that Emory has the Jones Program in Ethics. In 1955, the USGA
created the Bob Jones Award to recognize outstanding sportspeople
in golf who emulate his spirit, personal quality, and attitude. Jones passed
away in 1971 from syringomyelia.
"Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies." - Bobby Jones
The Clover brand
was founded to sustain the legacy of golf's most remarkable gentleman and
champion. There are three expressions under the umbrella of The Bobby
Jones Whiskey Collection: Straight
Bourbon, Straight Rye, and Straight Tennessee Whisky. All three
are single barrels and can be purchased from various golf course gift shops, online
retailers, and better liquor stores.
A portion of the sales of
each bottle is donated to the Chiari and
Syringomelia Foundation. Chiari
is a disorder where the back of the skull is too small for the brain, causing
many involuntary things we do, such as balancing, breathing, and swallowing, to
become interrupted. Syringomelia is
when a cavity forms in the spinal column and then becomes blocked by spinal
fluids.
Today I'm reviewing the
Straight Bourbon. It is bottled by Piedmont Distillers (the
creators of Midnight Moon) but was distilled in Indiana (while not
disclosed, it is likely MGP/Squibb & Ross). The barrel number
is CBN-F-021. As it carries no age statement, we can infer it spent at least
four years in new, charred oak barrels before bottling at 92°. You can expect
to pay about $50.00 for a 750ml package.
I
thank The Clover for providing me with a sample of its Bourbon in exchange for
a no-strings-attached, honest review. Now, let’s #DrinkCurious and taste
what this one is all about.
Appearance: A neat
pour in my Glencairn glass revealed a bright amber liquid. A microthin rim
yielded quick, thick tears.
Nose: A sweet
aroma of honey, nutmeg, berry, vanilla, and toasted almond teased my olfactory
sense. Bold vanilla caressed my tongue as I drew the air into my mouth.
Palate: An oily
texture greeted my palate. The front featured notes of lemon and orange citruses
and honeycomb. Midway through, I tasted corn, caramel, and brown sugar, while toasted
oak, cinnamon, and black pepper created the back.
Finish: The
Clover Straight Bourbon drank higher than its stated 92°, leaving some heat and
spice in my mouth and throat. It managed to make my hard palate tingle.
Cinnamon spice and black pepper rolled in and out while caramel poked through.
Overall, it had a medium-to-long duration.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The
Clover is uncomplicated and unpretentious. It is a well-balanced Bourbon,
providing sweet and spicy notes that are sure to please. I like that some of
the proceeds benefit a medical charity. Considering the $50.00 investment, you
get your money’s worth and will feel good about the purchase, and that’s why I’m
giving it a Bottle rating. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.
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