Cabin Still Kentucky Bourbon + Bonus Guest Review!

Today’s selection has a bonus guest review! Many thanks to the reader who contributed both opinions and the bottle photo.

Nose: This has youthful scents. I also got a light amount of “bandaid” smell…but it was different than the typical bandaid smell often associated with scotch. Palate: This is very much on the mild side. It has some yellow corn flavor that borders on moonshiney, but doesn’t completely cross that threshold. I got some caramel, but it wasn’t as prevalent as in other bourbons. It has a light mouthfeel and the finish is on the short side. It has almost no heat at all. On later sips, I picked up some rye spiciness. Overall, it is drinkable but it is pretty bland without any complexity of flavor. Comments: I agree with my guest reviewer, that this might be a good bourbon to use as an introduction to a non-whiskey drinker, primarily because it isn’t harsh, doesn’t have much heat and is pretty inoffensive. This clocks in at 80 proof and comes out of Bardstown, KY. While certainly not the best product produced by this miracle little town, it backs up my theory that the worst that Bardstown has to offer is still better than a LOT of higher priced “craft” bourbon from other states (e.g. TX, NY). This is probably one of the most inexpensive bourbons out there. At under $10 for a LITER bottle, it is a very inexpensive bourbon to have around for “emergency sipping” but also to use in a cocktail and even as a marinade for your grilling meats. Internet sources indicated that this is a Heaven Hill product and is aged 3 years. It is also reported to be a wheated bourbon but that may be dated (i.e. it USED to be a wheated bourbon). This is a very old brand name, but there isn’t a lot of up-to-date information available on the current product. It appears to have a bizarre history that includes a story about how back in the day, it was actually a mix of the magic Stitz-Weller juice with some complete crap that made it, well, slightly less complete crap (and, no doubt, a waste of good SW juice). GUEST REVIEWER: Nose: Light, very little nose tingle. I smell something sweet, maybe bubble gum? Also get some vanilla notes. Palate: Very simple, no complexity at all. I taste some tobacco notes on the back of the tongue. Finish: Quick and light. Somewhat sweet aftertaste. Comments: I like this, especially for under $10. Would be an easy one to try for a non-bourbon drinker, especially as a mixer.