Review of Old Stubborn OS3 Single Barrel Bourbon

 

I’ve talked about Ed Bley and Rising Tide Spirits several times, including in my recent review of Old Swagger 12-Year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. So, if you want to read the backstory, I’ll invite you to check out that review (don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to come back before moving on to today’s).

 

Rising Tide’s first two Bourbon releases were named Old Stubborn. Old Stubborn OS1 was a wheater, and OS2 was a traditional mashbill. Both were show-stoppers.

 

Old Stubborn OS3 has just been released:

 

“Each of the 12 constellations of the zodiac carries its own trait. Each of the 12 gods on Mt. Olympus has their own strengths. Each of the 12 barrels in the pot stilled Single Barrel showcase has its own place at the table, distinct and unique.

For our third release, we chose to highlight the characteristics of the barrels that have made up the marriages previously released. We selected our favorite 12—some wheated bourbon, some rye bourbon, all unbelievable bourbon—to display these dynamics.” – Rising Tide Spirits

 

Unlike the two previous incarnations, OS3 is a pot-distilled single-barrel Bourbon bottled at cask strength. The fun part is, just as the above quote suggests, there are 12 different versions in this release, totaling 1,500 bottles of various mashbills and proofs.

 

But wait… there’s more! There are three additional barrels of OS3 called Founder’s Single Barrels. Bottles from the Founder’s Single Barrels have been randomly mixed into cases, similar to the Golden Tickets from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Except, I don’t believe you get a chance to own the distillery and play with the Oompa Loompas if you find one. I could be wrong; with Ed, you never know!

 

Interestingly, Rising Tide Spirits provided me with a sample of an OS3 Founder’s Single Barrel in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Before I #DrinkCurious, I want to share one thing I included with my review of Old Swagger:

 

Rising Tide’s whiskeys sell out very quickly. Ed is a great marketer with a huge fan base, and these are always one-offs in short supply. Generally speaking, The Bourbon Concierge and Revival tend to be the best places to find them, but Rising Tide’s website lists the retailers he works with. While you’re there, you might as well sign up for his email blasts so you don’t miss the boat on future releases.

 

• Whiskey Type: Pot Still Wheated Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed West Virginia distillery (assumed Smooth Ambler Spirits)
• Age: NAS (between 11 and 14 years)
• Mashbill: Corn, wheat, and malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon, new charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 65.25% ABV (130.5°)
• Price per 750mL: $249.99
• Non-Chill Filtered
• Barrel #SB01W

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The deep, dark, burnt umber color was an attention-getter. Try as I might, I couldn’t get a rim to form, but thick, fast, tightly-spaced tears fell back into the pool. Once they were no more, there was the ghost of a faint, jagged rim.

 

Nose: I left Old Stubborn to its own devices for about ten minutes before approaching it. As I brought it under my nostrils and started sniffing, vanilla punched me in the nose so hard I was ready for the Oompa Loompas to sing me a jingle. The aroma included toffee, dried cherries, dates, toasted pecans, tobacco, and oak, so soft I almost missed it. Drawing the aroma through my lips gave me a mouthful of bold, dark chocolate.  

 

Palate: A dense, velvety texture greeted my tongue and throat. The first tastes included dates, figs, and strawberries. I detected notes of dark chocolate, leather, and clove on my mid-palate. Flavors of charred oak, candied ginger, and toasted pecans on the back.  

 

Finish: Toasted pecans, candied ginger, dark chocolate, toffee, leather, and dates remained. There was more dryness and spice notes with only a hint of sweetness from the dates. The somewhat arid finish and ran on and on, or at least it seemed to. I timed the duration at 2:05.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Do you know how everyone with a Golden Ticket had a bad experience at the chocolate factory that resulted in Oompa Loompas scolding them? Well, that didn’t happen while I sipped Old Stubborn OS3. Instead, I felt like Willy Wonka handed me the keys to the factory.

 

There was so much to enjoy here – firstly, Old Stubborn drank nowhere near its stated proof. If I drank this blind, I’d guess about 110°. Secondly, the layers seemed natural, starting sweet and fruity, then transitioning to savory, and concluding with a spicy finish. The finish incorporated all three, plus it lasted like Wonka’s never-ending gobstopper.

 

Old Stubborn isn’t priced for the casual drinker. You have to really love Bourbon to lay down $250.00. Old Stubborn OS3 is one of those rare, stunning experience whiskeys where you will justify the price once you start sipping. If you can find a Bottle, get it. 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.