Sazerac’s A. Smith Bowman Puts Out Latest In Sequential Series Bourbon
Virginia’ A. Smith Bowman Distillery announced the latest release in its Abraham Bowman line of experimental whiskey, the Abraham Bowman Sequential Series Bourbon.
This limited release explores how flavor profiles are affected when bourbon, first aged in new charred white oak barrels, is then finished in different kinds of used barrels for its final years, and also explores how the barrel entry proof affects the finish.
This release is comprised of two expressions, each finished in two different kinds of barrels. The first expression was aged for nine years in new charred white oak barrels before being transferred into barrels that had previously held bourbon for nine years. Half of those bourbon barrels were barreled at 125 proof and half were barreled at 115 proof, before finishing for three years and five months.
The second expression was aged for nine years in new charred white oak barrels before being transferred into barrels that had previously been used to age bourbon and port wine, and then were used to finish their Abraham Bowman Port Finish Bourbon, which went on to be named the 2016 World’s Best Bourbon by Whisky Magazine. Half of these fourth-use barrels were barreled at 125 proof and half were barreled at 115 proof before finishing for three years and five months.
For the bourbon from the second-use barrels Master Distiller, Brian Prewitt notes “vanilla, baked apples, and cherry, followed by sweet caramel that pleasantly dances in the nose,” and describes the taste as “smooth, sweet flavor reminiscent of brown sugar and toasted nuts with a light leathery tobacco note with brown spice lingering on the palate.”
For the fourth-use barrels, Prewitt notes “dried fruit and dark spices on the nose,” and describes a taste of “figs and vanilla followed by a medium mouthfeel that tops off with a slight peppery finish with subdued oak.”
The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Sequential Series Bourbon is part of a series of limited edition whiskies, named after Abraham Bowman, the commander of the 8th Virginia Regiment in the American Revolutionary War. Each edition of the Abraham line is a different expression and a new release is offered a few times a year. This is the 16th release in the Abraham line.
The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Sequential Series Bourbon will be available for Virginia residents to purchase through the VA ABC Lottery, and will be available in the A. Smith Bowman Distillery Visitor Center starting Saturday, May 27. Quantities are very limited and most product will be available in Virginia, however limited amounts will be available in other states this summer. The Abraham Bowman series aims to release new and different expressions of innovative whiskey for each release, so it is unlikely this exact bourbon will be repeated.
The total age of this bourbon is 12 years and five months and bottled at 100 proof. These 375ml bottles have a suggested retail price of $39.99.
