Isaac Bowman Port-Finished Bourbon Review

Updated February 19, 2020

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Virginia’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery is best known these days for its prolific releases of experimental and one-shot whiskeys. So, it’s eye-catching when they make a permanent addition to the line, as with the new Isaac Bowman Port-Finished Bourbon.

Isaac Bowman Bourbon builds on the success of one of those one-shot releases from last year, which was popular enough to bring it on permanently. This version is made following the same procedure the original, although as of 2018 (if not before) the distillery was using entirely Portuguese casks for the finishing. It was bottled 92 proof.

The Bourbon
This Port-finished bourbon has a light amber coloring, lighter than I expected given the overall maturation. A swish and coat of the glass gave me a thick coat with that dropped just a few legs. A sniff gave me thick vanilla, cherry jam, nuttiness, toasted graham crackers and old wine. The flavor is wood driven in the main, and quite spicy, but rounded out by light caramel and tawny wine.The finish ran on a nutty note that lingered for quite a while.

The Price
Isaac Bowman Port-Finished Bourbon is priced at $39.99. Although not as good as Angel’s Envy (in particular, it lacks that dry, distinguished character that makes Angel’s Envy stand out), at that price point it is a bit cheaper. So, it offers an alternative for Port-finished Bourbon with different flavor profile and for less money.