J. Mattingly 1845 "Inaugural Barrel 1" Single Barrel Bourbon Review

 

If you've been around the world of American whiskey for the last several years, you've likely heard the name Jeff Mattingly. Mattingly is a Frankfort, KY-based blender, and a respected one at that.

 

For almost two centuries, the name Mattingly has been synonymous with world-class bourbon and innovation. John Graves Mattingly (1823-1910) was responsible for perfecting the now famous column still used by the greatest bourbon producers in the world to provide a more continuous process to satisfy the growing demand of his customers. Now, Jeff Mattingly, a sixth generation descendent of John Graves Mattingly, has created and perfected the first of its kind custom bourbon blending process at his new distillery in Frankfort, KY that allows guests to not only blend their personal bottle from multiple "Double Staved" proprietary barrels selected by the Mattingly team of master blenders, but also choose their bottle, label, closure (including various wax colors or a wood cork) and their own personal name for their creation."– J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

 

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery has gone beyond blending! Its first-ever distillate is a single-barrel Bourbon. Mattingly calls it J. Mattingly 1845 Inaugural Barrel #1. Distilled from a mash of 66% corn, 24% wheat, and 10% malted barley, it spent two years maturing in a 53-gallon, new, charred oak barrel. Packaged at 65% ABV (130°), it will be sold for $120.00, and the yield is 197–750mL bottles. 

 

Here is where I must offer transparency: Dan Peeper is part of J. Mattingly 1845's blending team, and he and I go back a handful of years; he used to live here in Wisconsin before "retiring" to Kentucky, and the rest is history. If you've followed me for a decent amount of time, you'll know that I have never allowed a friendship to get in the way of an honest rating. I've delivered sad news before. My distillery friends have always been understanding when things don't go as expected.

 

So, thank you, Dan and J. Mattingly 1845, for providing me with a sample of this Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let's #DrinkCurious.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery
• Age: 2 years
• Mashbill: 66% corn, 24% wheat, and 10% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrel
• Alcohol Content: 65% ABV (130°)
• Price per 750mL: $120.00
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 197 Bottles Available

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. For only two years in oak, the liquid was an incredibly deep, dark mahogany color. It produced a massive rim which released thick, crazed, lightning-fast tears.

 

Nose: After waiting about 20 minutes, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and inhaled. The rich aroma smelled of caramel, toffee, overripe plums, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mincemeat pie. I pulled the air into my mouth; it was almost chewy with baked apples and cinnamon.   

 

Palate: My first sip revealed a dense, creamy texture, and my very first impression was that there was no way this was 130°. There was no palate shock or heat associated with the stated alcohol content. With my next attempt, I tasted cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses on the front. My mid-palate found chasoret (a sweet paste of apples and nuts). The back included ripe plums, dark chocolate, and blueberries.

 

Finish: Flavors of chasoret, nutmeg, chocolate, molasses, dark chocolate, and oak remained in my mouth and throat. It was surprisingly mild, warmth-wise. It was very even-keeled, then very slowly faded away after 1:47, making it a longer duration.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I was fine until I jotted down all of my notes, and then the proof crept from the shadows. I felt it in my head. The Inaugural Barrel 1 is what I classify as a dangerous whiskey. It goes down far too easily, and it takes time to realize you should have taken things more slowly.

 

If you're like me, and your first thought was something along the lines of, "You're charging $120.00 for a two-year-old Bourbon? Are you insane?" Well, just wait until you pour it into your glass, and once you smell and taste it, you'll forget all about how young this whiskey is because it is seriously stunning. Cecil Waits, J. Mattingly 1845's Master Distiller, obviously knows what he is doing.

 

Can I promise that everything coming out of their still will be this good? Of course not. Do I want to try the second release? Absolutely! As you can well imagine, this Bourbon snags my Bottle rating. If you have a chance to order it, treat yourself. You won't regret it.

 

 

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.