If
you’re an experienced whiskey hunter, you already know when the best allocated
selections hit the market. And, if you’re a fan of Ross & Squibb (MGP) Bourbons, you know that means it is Remus Gatsby Reserve.
Named
to honor the F. Scott
Fitzgerald story, The Great Gatsby, and the
events of the 1920s. The book was a commentary on the changing of times. It
told a great story with plenty of subtext that makes the reader think.
If
you’ve never read it (it is one of my favorite books I read in high school), it
tells the story of George Gatsby. Gatsby was a self-made millionaire who lived
during America’s Jazz Age. He was obsessed with Daisy Buchanan; he’d
been in love with her since they were children. Gatsby was a man of extravagance,
and people were curious how he made his money. He was a bootlegger and a
gambler (much like George
Remus himself).
Remus
Gatsby Reserve was introduced to the market in 2022. It is made from 15-year-old
Bourbons distilled from two MGP mashbills: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley,
and 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley.
“We have produced great bourbon whiskey over the years at Ross & Squibb, and the Remus Bourbon brand has provided our team an opportunity to showcase some of our best. Remus Gatsby Reserve provides a special opportunity to showcase the best of the best – including two different mash bills of some of the finest 15-year-old bourbons in our reserves. Remus Gatsby Reserve made quite an impact when it was launched last year, and the 2023 Edition is likely to follow suit as a highly sought-after member of the Remus Bourbon family.” – Ian Stirsman, Master Distiller
Ross
& Squibb calls Remus Gatsby Reserve ultra-limited, so much so that it indicates
the minimum price is $199.99 for a 750ml package bottled at its cask strength
of 49.05% ABV (98.1°).
Is
this Bourbon worth tracking down and buying? I’ll #DrinkCurious and attempt to
answer that. However, I must first thank Ross & Squibb for sending me a
sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.
Appearance: I
poured my sample into a Glencairn glass to sip it neat. The whiskey inside
looked like liquid mahogany. The microthin rim appeared to generate no tears, yet
seconds later, they materialized and were thick and syrupy.
Nose: Smells of
caramel, sugar plums, ripe cherries, brown sugar, oak, and leather wafted from
the glass. When I drew the aroma through my lips, the brown sugar continued.
Palate: I found
Gatsby Reserves mouthfeel thick, oily, and warm. It stuck to my tongue and
teeth (yes, teeth). The front offered tastes of vanilla cream, black cherries,
and dried apricots. When it hit mid-palate, I encountered dark berries,
raisins, and old leather. The back featured charred oak, molasses, and toffee.
Finish: The
finish remained level as it traveled in my throat. There were black cherries,
barrel char, old leather, and toffee, and they stuck around for several minutes.
It didn’t gradually disappear; it simply vanished.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: 15+ year
Bourbons aren’t a dime a dozen, and that’s because the older a Bourbon is, the
more it tends to become over-oaked. I’ve had several that spent too much time
in wood; it was as if I was sucking the moisture from a barrel stave. Either they
have to be proofed way down, or they become undrinkable. The distiller takes on
a risk by allowing it to continue to age.
Gatsby Reserve is a delightful
Bourbon. There was no indication of it getting past its prime. I could drink on
this all day and keep a smile on my face. I’m thrilled to have it in my whiskey
library – I wish I had a backup. I don’t recommend too many $199.00 American
whiskeys, but Remus Gatsby Reserve deserves my Bottle rating. If you see
it, get it. Trust me on this. 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 to do so responsibly.
GTS doesn’t have to be proofed down…
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