Blade & Bow 12 Year Old Solera Reserve Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Sometimes pundits have real, lasting influence. So, whenever I see someone scoff at Blade & Bow in a blog or an internet forum, I chalk it up to Chuck Cowdery’s very personal feud with certain individuals at Diageo, which had the trickle down effect of a chunk of enthusiasts being so hostile to the company and its many brands that they actually turned their noses up to reasonable priced, perfectly good 20 year old bourbon. That particular strain of bourbon dork fever is now more than a decade old, but whenever I see bad words directed at Bulleit or Blade & Bow or Orphan Barrel or George Dickel and cannot divine the reason, I think “ah, the feud ripples on.”

The croaking is largely baseless, because it’s hard to see how the British drinks goliath is any more of a sinner than anyone else among the Kentucky Majors. Moreover, following the rule of what is in the bottle comes first, foremost and sometimes is the only thing that matters, Blade & Bow is doing just fine. This latest release, the 12 Year Old Solera Reserve, is a case in point.

Blade & Bow is starting to come into its own now. After years of playing second-fiddle of Bulleit out at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery/tourist destination, they are now the main brand calling that historic site home. For much of the brand’s relatively short existence, a huge gulf separated the flagship bourbon from the ultra-aged expressions at the other end of its spectrum. Now comes a middle-aged bourbon that has received Solera-style aging in Cognac, Bordeaux, Moscatel, and Port vats to boot. Note that the 12 years age statement reflects primary aging, before the whiskey enters the Solera.

The Bourbon
The pour took a dark amber look in my glass. The nose was oak-forward without being over-oaked, evocative of a bourbon on the older, other end of the middle-aged range (12 to 15 years). As stated earlier, the whiskey spent 12 years-plus in new oak before going to the solera, and keeping in mind that a solera always involves drawing from and then topping off vats or casks, the “real” age is surely and substantially older. The scent delivered oaky spices–clove, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg–coupled to caramel and an earthy current of nougat. It was a touch tannic, but that note is well-balanced by also being a touch nutty.

The flavor adds a fruity aspect, boozy dried cherries and apricot shavings, coupled to that same current of woody spices from the nose and the nuttiness taking a step forward, developing into definable almonds. The palate opens fruity, turns nutty and turns spicy on the backend, but never really loses touch with any single part of the flavor profile and sustains a current of vanilla throughout. For all that complexity, however, the finish opens and closes on the oak and spice, running simple and long.

The Price
The MSRP on a fifth bottle of Blade & Bow 12 Year Old is $65. That is a real bargain for a middle aged bourbon of this character. If you can find a bottle for anything below $100, I strongly encourage you to snag it. It’s comparable to Michter’s 10 Year Old Bourbon, but available at a fraction of either the official or market price.