Medley Brothers

Nose: This has a sweet scent with a good dose of cherry and red licorice. In the background, there are notes of vanilla. Palate: This has a pretty decent mouthfeel. It isn’t super thick but it sits well on the tongue. The first sip has a nice light sweetness to it that is laden with traditional caramel and vanilla, with a little bit of cinnamon mixed in. It’s warmth is pretty moderate but you do feel it travel down your throat slightly. The finish is right in the middle of the spectrum and has a rich earthy quality to it. You pick up some toasty oak flavor, a tiny amount of smoke, some more vanilla and a little bit of pepper. Comment: I haven’t had this in a while and it was a very pleasant surprise. I like this one because it is very unassuming but still very tasty. For me, the sweeter aspects of it are appealing. It has a well balanced and blended taste without being in your face. What is surprising about it is that it is 102 proof. If you tasted it blind, I think few drinkers would detect that. This is put out by the Charles Medley Distillery and they are the same folks who put out Wathen’s and Old Medley 12 year old. This is sourced and believed to be from Heaven Hill and supposedly at least 4 years old. [NOTE: I think I can see it coming from Heaven Hill, but I give credit to whomever is picking the barrels.] The mashbill is reported to be 77% corn, 10% rye and 13% malted barley. I think this accounts for its sweeter notes. Now the good news…..this is in the lower price range of around mid $20’s. At that price point, I can absolutely recommend it on price alone. If you end up not liking for some reason, I think this is a great cocktail bourbon, so just make some old fashioneds with it! I think I’ve had the Medley 12, but it has been a while. It is going to go on my list because I think if it is a 12 year old version of this, it might be a very nice treat indeed. Lastly, you HAVE to love guys who wear string ties and ALL the Medley Brothers are pictured doing so! Go on their website to check out their interesting story…… http://medleybros.com