Coors Whiskey Co's Barmen 1873 Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

 

A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, you could not bring Coors beer to a state east of the Mississippi River. That was called bootlegging, and it was illegal. That fact led to one of the finest documentaries in American cinematic history: Smokey and the Bandit. That restriction was lifted in 1975, shortly before the film was released, but not with enough time to modify the script.

 

Why the hell am I writing about Coors beer and Smokey and the Bandit? The latter is easy: that cheese-fest is one of my favorite movies of all time. The former is because today, I will talk about Barmen 1873 Bourbon, produced by Coors Whiskey Co.

 

“We’re meticulous about quality, and Barmen 1873 reflects the care we put into each one of our blends. Barmen plays in the space of sweet on the front and a long, lingering spice finish on the end, and it’s available at an approachable price point for bourbon fans.” – David Coors, Vice President of Next Generation Beverages, Molson Coors Beverage Co

 

Barmen 1873 isn’t Molson Coors’ first foray into the Wonderful World of Whiskey. That slot belongs to File Trail, a blended American whiskey introduced in 2021. That brand grew to four releases: the flagship, Small Batch, Barrel Proof, and Cask Finish.

 

Barmen 1873 refers to the year Adolf Coors, the namesake’s founder, began brewing beer in Colorado. Barmen 1873 is a blend of Straight Bourbons sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company of Kentucky and MGP/Ross & Squibb of Indiana. The well-known and respected Peggy Noe Stevens, the brand’s master taster, was involved in the development of Barmen 1873. The mashbill is undisclosed. It carries no age statement, but we know from the straight designation that the youngest whiskey is at least two years old.

 

This Bourbon is sold at 46% ABV (92°), with a suggested retail price of $39.99. It can be purchased in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. I’m not aware of any bootlegging laws that would prevent you from transporting it over state lines.

 

I discovered Barmen 1873 at Distill America last month. The whiskey’s Wisconsin distributor, Frank Beer Distributors, was kind enough to provide me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. So, let’s #DrinkCurious and assess the job Coors did.

 

Appearance: I poured my sample of Barmen 1873 into a Glencairn glass, intending to sip it neat. Inside, the liquid was a deep, brassy amber. A medium rim formed, generating very thick, slow tears.

 

Nose: An unusual aroma of rye bread, toasted oak, baked apples, dark chocolate, and dill wafted from my glass. When I sucked the air through my lips, I tasted what seemed like a butterscotch bomb.  

 

Palate: I encountered a medium-weighted, oily mouthfeel, and the first flavors that hit my palate were caramel, stewed peaches, and baked apples. Midway through, I found cinnamon, dark chocolate, and nutmeg. The back featured charred oak, dill, and candied ginger.

 

Finish: A long, spicy finish offered a blend of candied ginger, cinnamon Red Hots, and charred oak, dulled only by a dark chocolate coating. There was also a funky quality to it that I couldn’t attribute to rye bread.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Barmen 1873 is a $40.00 Bourbon. You get what borders on a complex nose and palate for that investment. I can’t swear by it, but I’ll go out on a limb and propose that the MPG 36% rye Bourbon mashbill was involved as the minor component of this blend.

 

There was also something I couldn’t quite put my finger on concerning the taste. That’s the funk note I mentioned at the finish. It puts Barmen 1873 in a position where it may be attractive to those who enjoy those earthy, yeasty notes. Yet, many whiskey drinkers may be taken aback by the “funk” this Bourbon offers.

 

I burned through my 150ml sample, attempting to make my final decision. I enjoyed it but I also found it darned peculiar. There is potential for it to be polarizing. And because of that, my recommendation will be to try this one at a Bar first. 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.