J. Mattingly 1845 96 Proof Double Staved™ 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.

 

“Starting in 1845 with John Graves Mattingly’s first distillery in Louisville, Registered Distillery #2, the Mattingly family has been involved in at least nine different distilleries in Kentucky, and is connected to some of the most prominent distilling families in Kentucky, including the Willetts and Samuels. Today, Jeff Mattingly, a descendant of John Graves Mattingly, continues the family distilling tradition. Born in Mattingly, KY, Jeff grew up working on his family’s 600-acre farm, learning the value of hard work and absorbing his family’s distilling heritage. In 2010, he formalized that expertise in Georgetown, KY, carrying on the Mattingly family tradition with spirits plant DSP KY-20030. Now, Jeff’s son Cameron has assumed the mantle of Vice President of Production, continuing the legacy into the latest generation for J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery in Frankfort, KY.” – J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

 

One of the cool things Mattingly does is offer visitors an unusual opportunity to choose their barrels and create their own blends without having to purchase an entire barrel – it is sold by the bottle at the distillery.

 

Then, in 2024, Mattingly released its first regularly available Bourbon, J. Mattingly 1845 Classic Double Staved™ Bourbon. It not only earned my Bottle rating but also won a Whiskeyfellow Award that year.

 

The Bourbon I’m sipping today is called J. Mattingly 1845 96 Proof Double Staved™ Bourbon. Its mashbill is 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and it was distilled by Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro. It aged six years in new, charred oak barrels, non-chill filtered, and packaged at 48% ABV (96°). It comes with a suggested price of $85.00 for a 750ml. The 96 Proof is the same Bourbon I reviewed in 2024, just packaged at a lower proof.

 

If you are unfamiliar with the term Double Staved™, the short story is that it allows the whiskey to have more surface interaction with the charred oak. The longer story is that it is accomplished by breaking up old barrel staves into chunks, which are then added to existing barrels. Once matured, the barrels are dumped, and their contents are blended.

 

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 between my palate and 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: Green River Distilling Co.
• Age: 6 years
• Mashbill: 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 48% ABV (96°)
• Price per 750mL: $85.00
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. It possessed a torched, orange amber appearance. A jagged, thin rim discharged thick, watery tears.

 

Nose: I gave the Bourbon about 15 minutes to breathe before I embarked on the nosing journey. The aroma featured leather, fresh-sawn oak, tobacco, cocoa powder, and just the slightest hint of orange zest. When I drew the vapor through my lips, I experienced caramel.

 

Palate: A thin, yet silky texture greeted my tongue and throat. It was a fluid motion, much like sliding into a bed with satin sheets. I found a lot of chocolate on the front, along with barrel char and toasted pecans. Nutmeg, black cherries, and vanilla were all over my mid-palate, while the back included notes of black pepper, clove, and tobacco.  

 

Finish: Vanilla, cinnamon, tobacco, black cherries, clove, and dry oak hugged on for dear life. Cinnamon and oak fought the hardest. It was a slow, ramping sensation that seemed long; I timed it at 1:48, which confirmed my suspicion.

 

Segue: Out of curiosity, I poured myself a small sample of the original to see how the two compared. It was a shade or two darker, but I had to hold it up to the light to see the difference. I found the original to have a far more prominent nose, with fruity notes that stood out, whereas the 96er was heavier on earthy ones.

 

The original was warming; this new version lacked that. Both shared several flavors, although they appeared in different regions of my palate. The original’s finish carried more heat and lasted almost twice as long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: J. Mattingly 1845 96 Proof Double Staved™ Bourbon is a solid pour, yet pales in comparison to the Classic Double Staved™ Bourbon. I very much preferred the latter, which carried more fruity notes and made for a more well-rounded whiskey. Perhaps it was unfair of me to place them head-to-head; regardless, what’s done is done.

 

Did I enjoy this Bourbon? Yes. Would I spend $85.00 on this? I could see spending $50 or so on it all day long, but not $85.00. Price is the main driver of my Bar 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.