John J. Bowman Brothers Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Virginia’s most award winning distillery and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. In 2017, their Small Batch Bourbon was named “World’s Best Bourbon” at the  World Whiskies Awards. This is the first year I’ve ever been offered more than six bottles of this Bourbon– that is not an exaggeration.

IMHO the best value in Sazerac’s portfolio is Bowman Brothers. Not familiar with Sazerac? They own/make a few bourbons that you may have heard of: Pappy Vanwinkle, George T. Stagg, Buffalo Trace etc. Bowman Brothers was a little secret for those in the “know”. Well that little secret blew up in 2017 when the distillery won “Worlds Best Bourbon” at the World Whiskey Awards.

Smith Bowman Distillery was purchased by the Sazerac Company, Inc. in 2003. Currently the company doesn’t produce their own whiskey distillate and doesn’t disclose who they source it from. It is believed the new whiskey originates from Buffalo Trace and is their #1 mashbill.

This is a dynamite bottle of Whiskey, more than deserving of its gold medal at the 2021 North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition and the honor of being Whisky Magazine’s 2020 Best Non-Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon.

This one hits with notes of toffee, leather, chocolate, candied almonds and some hints of charred wood. On the mouth, you get some caramel, malted chocolate, oak and a hint of vanilla. The finish is long and strong – warm and spicy with a splash of caramel sprinkled in. At 100 Proof (50% alc.), and with more than 9 years of age, this is a sleeping giant that will no doubt sneak up on you.