The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Randall H. Borkus
Rating: B
Golden Moon’s Gun Fighter 13
(Credit: Golden Moon)
Golden Moon Distillery in Golden, CO, has put out its 2019 release of Gun Fighter 13 Tennessee Bourbon – Orphan Cask.
Golden Moon Distillery was founded in 2008 by master distiller Steven Gould and Karen Night. Stephen recently was named American Distilling Institute (ADI) Distiller of the Year, is on the board of the Colorado Distiller’s Guild, and the first American ever to be named a Warden of London’s Gin Guild. Gould is also the only American distiller member of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, one of the City of London‘s Livery Companies, dating back to the reign of King Charles I.
Golden Moon currently produces 19 different handcrafted liquors and liqueurs, which are sold in various markets in the United States and Europe. Additional Golden Moon offerings include: Gin, abstinence, grappa, applejack, single malt whiskey and specialty liquors and liqueurs including creme de violette and amer sir picon.
This new Golden Moon bourbon whiskey expression is aged for more than 13 years in new American white oak barrels. “Gun Fighter 13 is an incredibly smooth and full-bodied whiskey that will appeal to the most discerning whiskey drinker,” according the company says. Colorado’s Golden Moon Distillery is better known for its spirits that aren’t whiskey, as well as for it’s use of antique, early-to-middle 20th Century stills for making those spirits. Now co-founder and Master Distiller Stephen Gould is trying his hand at whiskey by releasing a 13-year-old Tennessee-sourced bourbon.
The Bourbon
Gun Fighter 13 is 100 proof with a dark brown amber color sporting magnificent legs which present themselves immediately and are long and relentless in my glass. The juice has an aggressive nose, with heavy oak overtones and light notes of sweet buttered corn and vanilla which screams Tennessee Whiskey profile. The flavor is mostly a mid-palette with burnt baking sugar, buttery smooth vanilla and caramel flavor on the tongue with a warm mouth feel. The finish comes is bold and dry with a peppery spice and, lots of oak overtones hanging around.
This is good bourbon whiskey but it’s not a particularly unique flavor profile as reminds me of many of the Barrell Bourbons I have enjoyed over the years.
The Price
Gunfighter 13 Tennessee Bourbon – Orphan Cask has a suggested retail price is $99.00 per bottle. It’s available at retail locations in NY, CO, CA, GA and nationally online by end of year. This expression will be followed by a second Gunfighter expression, Gunfighter 15-Year-Old in December 2019.
