Review of Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve Bourbon

 

Henry Louis Gehrig was born Ludwig Heinrich Gehrig on June 19th, 1903, in Manhattan. He was an astonishing 14 pounds at birth and was one of four siblings, but the only one to survive childhood. One sister passed away from whooping cough, the other from measles. His brother didn’t make it past infancy. He took the name “Lou” to avoid confusion with his father, who was also named Heinrich.

 

Gehrig enrolled in Columbia University and majored in engineering. He was recruited to Columbia’s football team and received a full scholarship. Yet, even before he attended college, he was playing for a professional summer baseball team, the Hartford Senators, under the assumed name Henry Lewis, because he was concerned that it might jeopardize his college scholarship. Twelve games into the season, he was caught and banned from collegiate sports in his freshman year.

 

In 1922, Gehrig returned to college football as a fullback for the Columbia Lions. He also joined their baseball team as a pitcher and first baseman. In 1923, while playing against the Williams Ephs, he struck out 17 players, setting a team record. While Columbia lost that game, Gehrig caught the eye of New York Yankees scout Paul Kritchell, who was stunned by his left-hand batting (and subsequent home runs), and that year, he became part of the team. Folks considered him “the next Babe Ruth.”

 

Creative Commons

 

He played alongside other greats like Ruth, Wally Pipp, Earle Combs, and Tony Lazzeri. In 1929, the numbers were introduced to team jerseys, and Gehrig was assigned #4 because he followed Ruth in the batting lineup. In 1932, Gehrig became the first 20^th-century player to hit four home runs in one game (and, you’ll have to excuse me for this; every time I read that, all I can think about is Al Bundy and his four touchdowns in one game). In 1933, he broke Everett Scott’s longtime record of the most games consecutively played. In 1934, he hit his 300th home run; the only player to get there faster was The Babe. By the time Gehrig retired, he had racked up an amazing 2130 consecutive games – a record that remained unbroken for 56 years until Carl Ripkin, Jr. crossed the mark.

 

In 1938, Gehrig began to experience symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He wasn’t diagnosed until a year later. He pulled himself out of the lineup at game 2130, and he never returned. The Yankees retired his #4.

 

courtesy of WikiMedia

 

“Don’t think I am depressed or pessimistic about my condition at present. I intend to hold on as long as possible and then if the inevitable comes, I will accept it philosophically and hope for the best. That’s all we can do.” – Lou Gehrig

 

On December 7th, 1939, a special election was held to induct Gehrig into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At 36, he had been the youngest to become a member. Then, on June 12th, 1941, a mere 17 days before his 38^th birthday, Gehrig passed away at his home in The Bronx’s Riverdale neighborhood.

 

There was a massive legacy left behind, including the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, presented annually to the baseball player who best epitomizes Gehrig’s character on and off the field. There is The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center at Columbia University, which provides research and treatment for those battling this awful disease. Every June 12^th since 2021 has been designated Lou Gehrig Day; the significance is that it’s both the day Gehrig joined the Yankees and the day he passed away.

 

So, what does Lou Gehrig have to do with whiskey? Today, we explore Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve Straight Bourbon.

 

“In the 1920s, only one man was worthy of following Babe Ruth in the lineup, and that was the great Lou Gehrig. In 2026, the same holds true. Every detail was thoughtfully created to celebrate his legacy in a meaningful way, while maintaining the craftsmanship of Remus Bourbon that drinkers love and expect from our distillery.” - Ian Stirsman, Master Distiller, Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP)

 

MGP refers to its Bourbon mashbills by their rye content, and there are four in this blend. Two are standard (the 2019 distillates), two are not (the 2016 and 2017 distillates). The use of four mashbills is a tribute to Gehrig’s #4 jersey.

 

Whenever I see non-standard MGP mashbills, I assume one of two things has happened: either someone placed a custom mashbill order that they didn’t take delivery of, or MGP was curious about what would happen with a different mashbill.

 

No matter how Lou Gehrig Reserve’s blend came to be, it is packaged in individually numbered 9,665 - 750mL bottles at 54.5% ABV (109°), with a suggested price of $129.99 and a nationwide rollout. The proof point reflects Gehrig’s 109^th-RBI season in 1926 and the number of bottles for his 9,665 major league at-bats. Here’s the fun part – there’s a QR code on the back so you can look up what Gehrig did at that particular at-bat appearance. My bottle’s number is 8,572, which suggests the following:

 

 

Also, Remus Bourbon will donate $9,665, one dollar for each of his at-bat appearances, to the Live Like Lou Foundation. It is dedicated to funding research and supporting families affected by ALS.

 

Moreover, for every like and comment on Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve’s launch content on Instagram (@remusbourbon), Remus Bourbon will donate an additional $1, up to $2130 (again, reflecting his consecutive game record).  

 

Now that you know all about Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve, is it worth buying? Remus Bourbon was kind enough to send me a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and answer the question.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: MGP/Ross & Squibb
• Age & Mashbill: The following were used to create this blend:
• 2016 – ~56% corn, 44% rye – 14%
• 2017 – 51% corn, 49% rye – 70%
• 2019 – 99% corn, 1% malted barley – 8%
• 2019 – 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley – 8%
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 54.5% ABV (109°)
• Price per 750mL: $129.99
• 9,665 bottle yield

 

Appearance: I used my trusty Whiskeyfellow Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. It possessed a bronze hue and produced a medium rim with fast, thicker tears, followed by droplets that crept to the pool.

 

Nose: After patiently waiting 15 minutes for the Bourbon to breathe, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and took in the vapor. I immediately started sneezing because that wasn’t nearly enough time. Five minutes later, I tried again. That was the trick; I smelled orange peel, caramel, nutmeg, leather, vanilla cream, and cinnamon. When I drew the air into my mouth, I discovered dark chocolate.

 

Palate: My first sip unveiled a medium-weight, somewhat slippery texture with a heavy dose of ripe plums. The second allowed me to discern notes of dense caramel, plums, and Oreo cookie filling on the front of my palate. Rye spice, cinnamon, and leather formed the mid-palate. On the back, I tasted sweet pipe tobacco, mild barrel char, and clove.

 

Finish: As I closed my eyes and concentrated on the finish, I encountered flavors of sweet pipe tobacco, plums, cinnamon, leather, ginger spice, and caramel, with a finale of barrel char. There was nothing warm about it; it was consistently soft yet full of character, as spice notes slowly took over the conversation (but again, not hot). The very long duration ran 2:06.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: These baseball-themed Remus Reserve Bourbons’ price-to-value aspects are challenging to judge because, unlike other celebrity whiskeys, there’s a serious collector’s value to consider. I’m not a baseball fan, and I don’t collect sports memorabilia, so I am really clueless as to what that adds to its attractiveness. I am fully qualified, however, to tell you whether I found Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve to be a strikeout, a walk, or a home run.

 

I wish I could taste the individual custom component whiskeys to determine their influence on the blend, especially since they account for 84% of it. I’ve had many, many Remus Bourbon expressions over the years, including picking a few barrels, and Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve tastes nothing like any of those. The whole experience was sweet, then spicy, then sweet, savory, and spicy. It was an easy sipper, especially for its stated proof.

 

Look, if you’re a Lou Gehrig or a Yankees fan, you need this for your collection (with the first Remus Babe Ruth Reserve next to it). How about for the whiskey connoisseur? Yeah, you’ll want it, too. The unusual mashbill leads to an excellent pondering experience that will captivate your attention. A casual Bourbon drinker may find this one too pricy.

 

In my opinion, Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve is a fascinating pour well worth sipping. I believe it is a home run, one deserving of The Iron Horse’s moniker. That translates to a 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.