Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 American Whiskey Review

 

Prohibition was a costly lesson for America and the world; its consequences extended far beyond our borders. It nearly killed Irish whiskey production. It severely impacted Scotch whisky distillation. It put a large, tax-paying American industry out of business. It was an example of what happens when a bunch of do-gooders with a desire to legislate morality are given power.

 

Yeah, I said that.

 

“Brothers Jacob and Abner Taub made their own whiskey during Prohibition ... but one fateful, wintry night in 1929, the pair were arrested and jailed for violating the Volstead Act. Six years later, with the ink on the 21st Amendment still drying and Prohibition finally in the rearview mirror, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pardoned the brothers. This absolution would set into motion a proud family tradition spanning generations — which has culminated in the Taub family’s modern-day homage to their intrepid relatives.” – Palm Bay International

 

The Taubs are crucial to this conversation because their third- and fourth-generation descendants, Marc and Jake, along with F. Paul Pacult, are responsible for making Jacob’s Pardon a reality in 2019. Jacob’s Pardon is located in Bardstown, Kentucky.

 

Pacult is the founder of the Spirit Journal, which boasts over 30,000 paid subscribers. He’s the author of books such as Kindred Spirits, helped create the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR), and later helped create the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.

 

You saw the quote from Palm Bay International… what does that mean? The short story is that it produces wines and spirits from around the world, including its Jacob’s Pardon brand. Palm Bay’s CEO is none other than Marc Taub.

 

Now that I’ve provided the background, let’s discuss Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3.

 

“We took our time with Jacob’s Pardon Small Batch #3. While it is a light American whiskey, the tasting experience is anything but light. We chose to bottle at cask strength, allowing for less human interference and a more authentic product to be best enjoyed as is.” – F. Paul Pacult, Jacob’s Pardon Master Blender

 

Distilled by MGP (Ross & Squibb), this 18-year-old American Light Whiskey is a blend of 211 uncharred oak barrels of 99% corn and 1% malted barley distillate. It was released in June 2023 and is still available. While a 750mL costs $199.99, it should be noted that it is packaged at 71.4% ABV (142.8°). If you’ve ever heard the term HazMat, it refers to anything 140° or higher, making this whiskey HazMat indeed.

 

I’ve been blessed by having many opportunities to try old, MGP-distilled American Light Whiskey, and my experience has been mostly positive. I don’t believe I’ve tried one aged in uncharred oak (but I could be wrong). A handful of them were HazMat offerings. So, in a way, Jacob’s Pardon 18 is uncharted territory for me.  

 

So, is it worth the hefty investment? In a moment, we’ll #DrinkCurious and find out. First, I must thank Palm Bay International for providing me with a sample of Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Courtesy of Jacob's Pardon

 

• Whiskey Type: American Light Whiskey
• Distiller: MGP (Ross & Squibb)
• Age: 18 years
• Mashbill: 99% corn, 1% malted barley
• Cooperage: 211 uncharred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 71.4% ABV (142.8°)
• Price per 750mL: $199.99

 

Appearance: I poured Jacob’s Pardon into my Glencairn glass with the intention of exploring it neat. The whiskey had a golden amber color and formed a thin, fragile rim with compacted, fast tears.

 

Nose: I waited about 20 minutes before engaging with the aroma, and, frankly, it needed more time to breathe. I waited another five. At this point, I found smells of hot honey, hazelnuts, toffee, cherries, and nutmeg. There was still an ethanol punch, but far more diminished as time wore on. When I pulled the vapor through my lips, I encountered heavy butterscotch.

 

Palate: The first sip unleashed a creamy, dense mouthfeel, with an intense shock of candied ginger, and yeah, describing it as “warming” would be laughable.

 

My subsequent attempt allowed me to discern butterscotch, hot honey, and brown sugar on the front of my palate. Heat continued through every nook and cranny of my mouth and down my throat. With the third, I discerned maraschino cherries, candied orange slices, and oak tannins on my mid-palate. The back featured ginger spice, brownie fudge, and dry leather.

 

Finish: For what seemed to be several minutes each time that I swallowed, there was some potent heat to contend with, and that’s well beyond the ginger, cinnamon Red Hots, and oak spices, which themselves were building to a crescendo. There was a feeble attempt to counter the warmth with butterscotch, molasses, and candied orange slices. The entire finish lasted 2:21.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Asking a casual whiskey drinker to wait 25 or so minutes before approaching their pour is asking a lot. At the same time, your run-of-the-mill, casual whiskey drinker isn’t spending $200 for a single bottle.

 

I found Jacob’s Pardon Batch 3 to be extremely memorable; it was flavorful, but it was also one of the boldest pours I’ve encountered over my years, and I’ve had a handful that were 20 proof points higher.

 

This whiskey called for some distilled water. I used an eye dropper to add two drops to my refreshed pour. I observed the water emulsify. When I was ready to re-explore it, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and began sniffing. Oh, how that made a difference! I didn’t need to wait nearly as long – five minutes was enough to make things approachable, and Jacob’s Pardon’s aroma became a toffee bomb. Butterscotch and molasses were also present.

 

The texture was thinner, and the fire was nearly extinguished (it is amazing what two drops of water can accomplish). The burn fell way back to the finish, and even that seemed more approachable. However, many of the flavors I found at cask strength were also muted. Leather stole the show, with oak and fudge brownies working as supporting actors. The sweeter notes fell to the cutting room floor.

 

Proof, like age, is just a number. Yes, there are anticipations and expectations; however, there are more than enough examples that prove them wrong. I’ve had HazMat whiskeys that were easy sippers; Jacob’s Pardon Batch 3 wasn’t one of them.

 

Somewhere between cask strength and two drops of water must contain a sweet spot, but I couldn’t find it. Is it one drop? I don’t know, because my sample bottle was nearly empty and there wasn’t enough volume to work with.

 

Would I spend $200 on this? Honestly, no. Declaring it a bad whiskey would be incredibly unfair to what Jacob’s Pardon Batch 3 is. You will need a ton of patience and a desire to experiment to find the right balance of added water; it’s out there, I don’t know what that magic ratio is. I believe this one earns 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.