The Beautiful & The Damned: Last Lion Cask Strength Bourbon Review

 

Independent bottling is not something overly familiar with American whiskey. Oh, it is obtusely, but you don't hear about it in the same frequency as you do with, say, Scotch. In theory, folks who source whiskey from others and put their label on it might be considered independent bottlers. But, few try to claim their niche as an independent bottler.

 

One of the cool things independent bottlers do is to seek out and find excellent single-barrel whiskeys. Many of them acquire those and end things there. Here’s a bottle, here’s a label, bada-bing, bada-boom. Others will take several single barrels and create amazing blends. One such independent bottler is The Beautiful and The Damned Whiskey House, located in Chicago.

 

“We look for the right mash bill, from the right distillery, on the right floor of the right warehouse, and pull it only after it has perfectly aged.

We do not distill as that is not our passion, but we do work hand in hand with the most talented distillers and blenders. This has resulted in our products being called the best representations of whiskey out of the distilleries we work with.

The Beautiful and the Damned is currently working with MGPI of Indiana for our current offerings, but will be exploring other distilleries in the near future..” – The Beautiful and The Damned Whiskey House

 

Founded by Kevin, who lives in Chicagoland, The Beautiful and The Damned takes its name from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 novel, which is set in New York City during the Jazz Age and follows the story of an artist named Anthony Patch and his flapper wife, Gloria Gilbert. The overall gist is that the couple spends their days waiting for a supposed inheritance instead of getting jobs to build their nest egg. They live in excess while they systematically destroy their lives (and marriage), waiting for his grandfather to keel over and die. Does it sound a lot like The Great Gatsby? It should; it is a similar, cynical story by the same author.

 

Today, I’m checking out The Last Lion, named for the trilogy documenting the life of Winston Churchill. The Last Lion is a 6.5-year Cask Strength Bourbon blended from two of MGP’s most popular Bourbon mashbills. The barrels that The Beautiful and The Damned selected were between 6.5 and 8.5 years old. It can be purchased from The Beautiful and The Damned’s online store.

 

Before you rush out and place an order, it would be best to know if The Last Lion is any good, and the only way to know that is for me to #DrinkCurious. Thankfully, The Beautiful and The Damned Whiskey House provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Let’s get going, shall we?

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: MGP/Ross & Squibb
• Age: 6.5 years (includes Bourbon aged 6.5 to 8.5 years)
• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley blended with 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon #4-charred oak barrels with #2 charred oak heads
• Alcohol Content: 57.1% ABV (114.2°)
• Price per 750mL: $79.99
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to sip this Bourbon neat. It presented as a classic orange amber liquid, which formed a thin, jagged rim and thick, medium-spaced, slow tears.

 

Nose: After giving the Bourbon about ten minutes to breathe, I brought the glass under my nose and inhaled the vapor. Notes of rich caramel, orange peel, leather, sweet cocoa powder (think Nestlé Quick), and dried cherries. Drawing the aroma through my lips allowed me to experience orange marmalade.

 

Palate: The Last Lion’s mouthfeel was soft and buttery, yet the flavors burst through like (pardon the pun) a hungry lion. The front featured Fig Newtons and dried cherries. My mid-palate pulled fresh leather, cola, and orange peel. I tasted cinnamon, ginger, and clove on the back.

 

Finish: Spicy ginger and cinnamon melded with cherries, dates, leather, and figs. The duration lasted 1:41. It was a slow build before the crescendo peaked; it then fell off a cliff.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: F. Scott Fitzgerald viewed unbridled opulence as a path to destitution. Were he to taste The Last Lion, he may have been concerned. It is a bold, sweet, spicy, luxurious pour that will entice you to have another, and you’ll gladly fill your glass again after that.

 

The Last Lion drank at its stated proof. It was a well-balanced blend with plenty of character.

 

I’m often amazed at what a handful of independent bottlers can do with MGP’s Bourbons. I’m convinced the team at The Beautiful and The Damned understands the skill and passion involved with scrutinizing barrels and blending artistically because The Last Lion is that damned good. It is worth the cost of admission and earns every bit of my 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 to do so responsibly.