Remus Bourbon Babe Ruth Reserve Review & Tasting Notes

 

George Herman Ruth was born on February 6, 1895, and played professional baseball for 22 seasons. He had several nicknames, including The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat. But, his most recognized was Babe.

 

Babe Ruth was a left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and best known as an outfielder for the New York Yankees. When the Red Sox traded him, it began an 86-year stretch called The Curse of the Bambino, referring to how long it was before the team saw another championship. When he played for the Yankees in 1927, he was part of Murderer’s Row, the elite six members of the Yankees, batting 60 homers.

 

Photo credit: unknown, public domain

 

In his early years, Ruth was an orphan, or at least that’s what many thought because he attended St. Mary’s Industrial School for Orphans. He was not a good kid; he was always in trouble, much of it criminally, and, at age 7, his parents decided they couldn’t handle him and sent him to the school, giving it full guardianship over him.

 

His first wife, Helen, was only 16 when they married. He was a philanderer, and they both adopted his illegitimate child in 1922. He and Helen soon parted ways, and she died in a mysterious house fire. This was not the first of his troubles, nor would it be the last.

 

In 1936, Ruth was among the first five inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He died 12 years later from cancer.

 

What does any of this have to do with whiskey? Well, Remus Bourbon has just launched its Remus Babe Ruth Reserve.

 

“Remus Babe Ruth Reserve is a special collector’s release inspired by one of the most iconic figures in American history, the immortal Babe Ruth. Remus is inspired by the finest Bourbon of the 1920s, and partnering with the finest baseball player of the 1920s gives Bourbon and baseball fans a unique and memorable way to celebrate America’s pastime.” – Allison O’Brien, Ross & Squibb Distillery Brand Manager

 

The Bourbon is a blend of three high-rye MGP mashbills: a 49% rye from 2016, a 44% rye from 2017, and a 36% rye from 2018. There are 10,624 bottles, one for each of Ruth’s plate appearances. Each bottle is individually numbered, with a QR code on the back label. If you click on it and enter your bottle number, it will tell you how Ruth performed on that particular appearance.

 

Packaged at 55.5% ABV (111°), a 750ml has a suggested price of $149.99. It has an attractive presentation.

What’s important, however, is how does Babe Ruth Reserve smell and taste? I’ll #DrinkCurious and find out for you. But first, I must thank Remus Bourbon for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. 

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The caramel-brown liquid created a medium rim with thin, slow, straight tears.

 

Nose: There was a blast of toffee that was an attention-getter. It was followed by brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, and toasted oak. Drawing the air through my lips revealed tobacco leaf.

 

Palate: The Bourbon maintained a thick, weighty mouthfeel. The first flavors were vanilla, mint, and cocoa. I found brown sugar, spiced nuts, and shredded tobacco as it moved across my mid-palate. The back included rye spice, toasted oak, and chocolate.

 

Finish: Babe Ruth Reserve had a rollercoaster finish. It started boldly, mellowed, slowly climbed, fell, and trudged upward again. I timed it at 3:17 when it finally faded. That almost Energizer Bunny duration allowed me to taste rye spice, cinnamon, caramel, toffee, tobacco, spiced nuts, and chocolate.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I will approach Babe Ruth Reserve from two angles: a sports collector and a whiskey drinker. In full disclosure, I’m not a sports collector. I’m not even a baseball fan.

 

For a sports collector, I believe Remus Bourbon honored Ruth with a gorgeous bottle and label. The Bambino’s signature appears on both the front and back labels. It looks rich. Considering how much baseball fans pay for memorabilia, $150.00 seems like a drop in the bucket.

 

From a whiskey drinker’s standpoint, I commend Ross & Squibb for blending six-, seven-, and eight-year-old Bourbons into something tasty and captivating. And, the longer I allowed it to breathe, the more interesting it became.

 

The nosing was way under the stated proof. There was not even a hint of an ethanol bomb. The palate was spicy and carried warmth, but not beyond its 111°. The finish was a wild, enjoyable ride. Overall, Babe Ruth Reserve is a solid pour.

 

For the Sultan of Swat’s fans, I believe Babe Ruth Reserve is a slam-dunk winner. Would they drink it? My guess is probably not unless they hit a double.

 

For most Bourbon drinkers, paying home plate prices is a bit of an ask. This is delicious. I get that there’s nostalgia behind that, and it isn't easy to put a price on that. But it drinks like a Bourbon two-thirds of the cost. Overall, it takes my Bar rating – but only due to its cost. 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.