The Macklowe Red Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

 

There are names that you probably recognize, and those you may not. Ian MacMillan is a powerhouse in the whiskey industry, known over the last 40 years for his Scotch whiskies and gins, a member of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, a Master of the Quaich, and one heck of a Master Blender. If you’ve tried  Bunnahabhain, Tobermory, or Deanston whiskies, you’ve experienced his talent.

 

Brendan McCarron is also a name known to Scotch whisky aficionados. He is, most recently, a multi-award-winning Master Distiller at Distell Group, and formerly of The Glenmorangie Company. He was considered a natural fit to take over Dr. Bill Lumsden’s position at The Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. Both Brendan and Ian are well-versed in designing, setting up, advising, and transforming ideas into working distilleries.

 

Julie Macklowe is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and finance whiz who, after leaving her life as a hedge fund manager, helped launch BaubleBar, a jewelry company, in 2010, and her own skincare company, Vbeauté, in 2011. Julie had a love for whiskey, amassing a personal collection of over 1000 bottles. She jokes that while some women collect clothing, she shops for whiskey.

 

In 2021, Julie founded The Macklowe Whiskey with a luxury American Single Malt. She is one of 200 worldwide Whiskey Ambassadors certified with perfect scores. Julie currently serves as the CEO of The Macklowe, alongside her partners Brendan, its Master Distiller, and Ian, its Master Blender.

 

The Macklowe Whiskey has since expanded what it refers to as its American Collection from the Single Malt (referred to as Gold Label) to include Silver Label Rye, Red Label Bourbon, and Black Label, a 13-year-old American Single Malt.

 

Red Label is the subject of today’s review. It is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon distilled from an industry-popular mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Yet the sweet mash method employed is less common and is viewed by some as riskier than the traditional sour mash method. The actual distiller is undisclosed. Red Label is a blend of ten hand-selected, four-year-old Bourbons aged in ISC Cooper’s Select barrels, which underwent an 18-month seasoning cycle.

 

Red Label’s packaging is unusual. It is shaped like a flask, with, unsurprisingly, a red label, and its edges are hand-painted blue. That’s meant to make it stand out from others on the shelf. It did have a screw-top closure, which I didn’t expect; frankly, I prefer those, but I realize many don’t.

 

The Macklowe Whiskey is distributed to retailers in California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Georgia, and Nevada. It is also available via Total Wine and ReserveBar.

 

Now that you know the background, it is time to #DrinkCurious and find out whether it’s worth buying. I am grateful to The Macklowe Whiskey for providing me with a sample of Red Label in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed Kentucky Distillery
• Age: 4 years
• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: ISC Cooper’s Select new, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
• Price per 700mL: $69.99
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to sip this Bourbon neat. The amber brown whiskey formed a thicker rim, producing randomly spaced, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: I waited about ten minutes before beginning my nosing journey. The aroma was bold with caramel, older leather, vanilla, and dried strawberries. When I pulled the vapor through my lips, the caramel grew in its intensity.

 

Palate: On my first sip, I noticed a velvety mouthfeel with an oaky palate shock. The second revealed nutmeg, allspice, and oak on the front, with a mid-palate of brown sugar, toffee, and tobacco leaf. The back tasted of dry leather, dark chocolate, and blueberries.

 

Finish: Blueberries, dark chocolate, nutmeg, brown sugar, and ancient oak remained, while keeping the underside of my tongue a smidge tingly. It was relatively even and long-lasting at 2:17. Oak was the very last to leave.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: With the first couple of sips, I was unimpressed. One of my favorite fruits is blueberries, so when that comes up during my tasting experience, I find it to be an attention-getter, forcing me to concentrate even harder to see if it can be amplified. In the case of Red Label, I was successful in bringing it to the front and then carrying through. That made me smile, and soon, the blueberries dominated.

 

This tasting started spicy and concluded with a fruity note. There was a gentle transition from front to middle and middle to back. The flavors seemed to complement one another.

 

Red Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon is one you should not rush through; if you do, you’ll cheat yourself of everything it has to offer and likely judge it as mediocre. It isn’t. Give it time to open up, do the Kentucky chew a few times, and you can almost feel it broadening in your mouth and throat.

 

I commend Julie, Ian, and Brendan for crafting an interesting, captivating Bourbon that seems older than its stated age and somewhat more potent than its proof would suggest. Is it expensive for a four-year-old, mid-proof Bourbon? Yes. However, as it performs above its weight, I believe it deserves 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.