Larrikin "Cigar Lounge" 9-Year Bourbon Review

 

What do you call an Australian who disregards conventional means of doing things? A larrikin.

 

Lt. Commander Greg Keeley served in the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. Raised in Australia, he is a combat veteran who saw action in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific. During his service, he became disabled, and after his discharge, he and his wife, Katie, founded Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 2021.

 

As a former member of the Australian Federal Police, Greg is committed to upholding honesty and integrity. He won’t tell you some grand story about how his grandpappy’s grandpappy’s secret whiskey recipe was found in a locker in an abandoned Australian warehouse guarded by a gigantic inflatable kangaroo. He’s transparent about his operation.

 

courtesy of Larrikin Bourbon Co

Last year, he and Katie rebranded the distillery, which now operates as Larrikin Bourbon Co:

 

“We realized when we founded the distillery, we had forgotten a crucial lesson learned from years of overseas service. A person is defined by who you are, not where you are. And candidly, we are fair-dinkum larrikins.” – Katie Keeley, co-founder

 

This Friday, at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Larrikin will debut Cigar Lounge, a nine-year-old Kentucky Bourbon finished in five distinctively different casks: Cognac, Amburana, Spanish Madiera, Maple Syrup, and Brazilian Jaca Fruit.

 

I have no clue what Jaca fruit is, Brazilian or otherwise. But God bless the Internet, which informed me it is another name for jackfruit. Jackfruit is grown in Asia, South America, and Africa, and is closely related to figs and mulberries. It can be eaten raw or is often used as a meat substitute.  

 

The release of Cigar Lounge coincides with the distillery’s new walk-in humidor and dedicated cigar lounge. According to Larrikin, theirs is the only one on Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail.

 

Those at the festival will be the first to try Cigar Lounge publicly. It will also be available in select stores in Kentucky, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, California, and at the distillery’s online store.

 

If nothing else, I commend Larrikin Bourbon Co. for jumping off the well-worn path and going for something completely different. I love it when distilleries do that. I’m also grateful that they sent me a sample of Cigar Lounge in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. So, let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what this mindbending collection of barrels does to a Bourbon!

 

• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed Kentucky distillery
• Age: 9 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels followed by finishing cycles in former Cognac, Amburana, Brazilian Jaca Fruit, Spanish Madeira, and Maple Syrup casks
• Alcohol Content: 54.75% ABV (109.5°)
• Price per 750mL: $150.00
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. Inside, the whiskey was the color of mahogany. A thick rim left syrupy, crazed tears, leaving behind an even slower curtain.

 

Nose: I enjoyed the aroma as I waited for Cigar Lounge to breathe. The first barrel to scream out was the Amburana, with its classic notes of cinnamon apple strudel. Next, I smelled maple syrup, then leather, tobacco, and apples. It was wildly disjointed at first, but then somehow seemed to come together and sing Kumbaya. I drew the vapor into my mouth and experienced the sensation of baked apples.  

 

Palate: The Cigar Lounge had a medium-weighted, oily texture. Amburana was the brunt of my palate shock. On the second attempt, I tasted cinnamon, apple pie filling, and well-aged leather on the front of my palate. The middle included notes of brown sugar, maple syrup, and tobacco leaves. The back featured raisins, toasted coconut, and cocoa nibs.   

 

Finish: Running for a seemingly unending 2:49, the toasted coconut, cocoa, apple pie filling, leather, and tobacco kept things flavorful yet drying. I could feel the moisture evaporating from the inside of my mouth.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: So, first things first, I don’t smoke – ever. While I have this fancy cigar that Larrikin included in my sample package, I have several friends who enjoy a puff, and one of them can have it. My point is, I can’t tell you how it pairs with a cigar. But, I can tell you that I’ve had plenty of cigar-blend whiskeys and generally enjoy them.

 

With all of these far-flung cooperages mingling, you would think that I’d be taken along a twisted path of what-the-heck-is-this. While Cigar Lounge didn’t convince me that I now know what Jaca tastes like, those other influences were easily discernible – and they just worked. Please don’t ask me why or how, but Cigar Lounge is well-balanced and tantalizing.

 

I also failed to notice, except as I’m writing this now, that there was no distinct oak influence; not in the nosing, tasting, or finish! That’s unusual for any whiskey.

 

Overall, I found Larrikin Cigar Lounge to be an excellent, unusual pour that stands out in a field of its own, yet is something that can be approachable for pretty much anyone who enjoys a solid Bourbon. Yeah, it is a bit pricey, but you won’t find another one like it. Take the plunge, buy a Bottle if you can find it. You won’t be disappointed. 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.