Casey Jones Revere Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

 

Now, here’s a little story about Paul Revere.

 

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1734, to French Huguenot Apollos Rivoire and Boston legacy Deborah Hitchborn, Paul Revere (after his father’s name was anglicized) was the third of a dozen children and the eldest surviving son. His father was a silversmith, and at age 13, Paul joined the business as his apprentice. When he was 15, he became a change ringer, part of the group that rang the newly cast bells at Christ Church.

 

That’s where Paul became a student and friend of Jonathan Mayhew, a rather controversial minister at Old West Church, which infuriated Apollos, who demanded that Paul cease his relationship with Mayhew. Paul and Apollos got into a fistfight over it, and shortly thereafter, Paul returned to his father’s church.

 

Apollos passed away in 1754, and Paul was too young to take over his father’s business legally. Two years later, he enlisted in the provincial army, where he was made a second lieutenant. After a short stint, he ended his service and returned to Boston, where he finally took over the family’s silversmith business. He then married Sarah Orne, and eight months later, they had their first of eight children. Sadly, only one of their children survived Paul’s life.

 

The economy was in a steep downturn, and Paul took up dentistry. One of his clients, Joseph Warren, was a physician and a rabble-rouser. The two became close friends and eventually joined the Sons of Liberty movement. In November 1773, the British ship Dartmouth landed in Boston Harbor carrying the first shipment of tea made under the terms of the newly enacted Tea Act. Revere and Warren conspired to prevent the Dartmouth from unloading its cargo, and eventually, Revere was a leading member of the Boston Tea Party. The Boston port was closed under the order of military governor Thomas Gage, and residents were forced to quarter English soldiers.

 

On April 18, 1775, Paul went on his infamous midnight ride, warning the minutemen in the Province of Massachusetts Bay that British troops were arriving to do battle with the colonists. He was one of 40 riders that night; he brought the news of the impending attack to Samuel Adams and John Hancock. His ride was critical to the colonists’ success in the battles of Lexington and Concord, leading to the Shot Heard ‘Round the World and the establishment of the United States of America.

 

Now, it seems as if everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to celebrate the nation’s 250^th birthday.

 

The Casey Jones Distillery was founded in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 2014 by Arlon “AJ” Casey Jones. His grandfather was the namesake, and he was quite the legend. He created copper coffin stills shaped like coffins. The distillery has the last still Casey Jones built on display. I visited the distillery two years ago; this is my photo of that very still.

 

 

“On the night of April 18, 1775, that same craftsman’s instinct drove him into the darkness on horseback. The British were coming. The colonial militias needed warning. And Paul Revere — silversmith, patriot, and man of uncommon conviction — rode sixteen miles through the Massachusetts night to make sure they got it.

He didn’t know what history would make of that ride. He only knew what the moment demanded.” – Casey Jones Distillery

 

Today’s review is of Revere Kentucky Straight Bourbon, a limited-edition whiskey plucked from AJ’s private stocks, which he considers the best of the best of the barrels maturing in its warehouse. These were distilled from a mash of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Aged for five years, this Bourbon is packaged at 50% ABV (100°) and can be purchased for $59.99 from the distillery or its online store.

 

Is it worth picking up a bottle? The only way to answer that is for us to #DrinkCurious, and for that opportunity, I must thank Casey Jones Distillery for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Casey Jones Distillery
• Age: 5 years
• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $59.99

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to drink neat. Inside, the liquid was golden amber. It produced a medium rim that shed a curtain, which immediately dropped back into the pool.

 

Nose: I waited about 15 minutes before exploring the aroma. It was rich with cocoa nibs, nutmeg, and toasted oak. As I delved deeper, I discovered grapefruit peel and muted vanilla. I drew the air into my mouth and tasted dark chocolate and old leather.

 

Palate: My initial sip revealed an oily texture and a palate shock of leather and dried tobacco leaf. The second offered notes of cocoa, rye spice, and orange zest on the front of my palate. My mid-palate encountered leather, tobacco, and ripe plums. Powdered cinnamon, toasted oak, and black pepper hit the back of my palate.

 

Finish: Leather, caramel, cinnamon powder, dark chocolate, black pepper, and toasted oak remained in my mouth and throat. Orange zest came out at the very end. The finish was softer than I would have imagined at first; as time wore on, it became spicier. The duration ran 1:48, bringing it into a longer venue.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: For whatever reason, I hoped that there might be a note of English tea, not because I enjoy that (I don’t), but it would have made a fun tie-in to the story of Paul Revere. Obviously, that didn’t happen.

 

Overall, I had a pleasant sipping experience with this Bourbon. It was well-balanced, easy to drink, and possessed plenty of character without any particular one overwhelming the rest. Revere Kentucky Straight Bourbon is an example of proper blending techniques to create something enjoyable and satisfying. It drank about ten points below its stated proof.

 

Since I first discovered Casey Jones Distillery, I’ve found myself impressed with AJ and his team’s talents. Revere Kentucky Straight Bourbon is my favorite to date, and well worth the investment. As such, my Bottle rating is warranted. 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.