A. Smith Bowman might not be as famous as its sister distillery, Buffalo Trace , both of which are owned by the Sazerac Company. But that’s not for lack of trying, because this Virginia distillery produces some very good bourbon—and also some very high-proof bourbon, as evidenced by the release of its new Cask Strength expression.
Jack Daniel’s Just Dropped Its Oldest Whiskey in a Century–and We Got a First Taste
This is the fourth Cask Strength release from A. Smith Bowman to date. We’ve covered previous expressions, including Batch 2 (a certifiable hazmat banger at 144.5 proof) and Batch 3 (relatively tame at 135.1 proof). The latest Cask Strength release, Batch 4, falls right in between the last two at 139.7 proof, which is .3 degrees shy of the level at which the FAA deems whiskey unsafe to be brought onboard an airplane. The whiskey is at least ten years old and was hand selected from the distillery’s barrels by distiller David Bock, according to the brand. “What our distillation team is trying to showcase with the Cask Strength series is an unvarnished truth of quality bourbon in its natural form,” he said in a statement. “There are no finishes with Cask Strength, meaning we must be meticulous when selecting barrels and blending the liquid. Each Cask Strength release is a unique sipping experience with its own special flavor profile and this fourth release is an excellent addition to the series.”…