Info Shots

• Price: ~$150 (2022)
• Spirit: Whiskey
• Proof: 109.8 (54.9% alcohol)
• Noses (smell): The whiskey is sugary sweet, but with a rich depth reminiscent of vanilla extract or molten caramel.
• Palate (taste): vanilla, caramel, brown sugar
• Age Statement: No age statement given
• Further Info:
  • UPC: 852543006489

Distiller information

Background

This was certainly one of those bourbons I really didn’t know much about until after I bought the bottle. That isn’t generally how I like to operate as I tend to want to review bottles that cross over a price point before buying. This requires sometime research to the company and some extensive review site comparisons before I come to a conclusion. After about two to three other review sites saying this was a banger of a whiskey and one to not pass up, I took a chance and wow this bottle certainly doesn’t disappoint for me.

But I’m getting ahead of myself with regards to the background of this bottle. This bourbon comes from Preservation distillery who makes products such as Rare Perfection (Canadian Whiskey) and Very Old St. Nick. (Bourbon). These are a few of their products, but these are the more common releases that are out there on the shelf in my area.

Old Man Winters is the resurrection of a brand that supposedly had an extensive release in the older days before I was drinking alcohol and some of the older folks can correct me in the comment section. These were regarded as fantastic bottles that adhered to the “old fashion” ways to making bourbon. That sounds a lot like good marketing, but its hard to tell how much of this is accurate.

An amalgamation of bourbon from our vintage stocks at Preservation Distillery, this bourbon is inspired by the flavor profiles of long ago. Rich dark pitted fruits with hints of sweet spice, dusted anisette, and caramel coat the palate. A rich mouthfeel with a warm, lingering finish allows this expression to standout in the category.

“Old Man Winter Bourbon.” Preservation Distillery, 2024, www.preservationdistillery.com/old-man-winter-bourbon. Accessed 7 July 2024.

With all of this information out of the way there is other sites that do better with history recaps and this is certainly missing important distillery information for sure. My main goal are the important things and that is the taste and experience of the bourbon. Now on to the review.

Onto the Review

Temperature

For the nose, I’m going to have to quote another reviewer who absolutely hit these notes on the head.

The whiskey has a richly gourmand nose. It is sugary sweet, but with a rich depth reminiscent of vanilla extract or molten caramel. The sweetness doesn’t overpower, though, and leaves room for undertones of cream and cinnamon.

The Whiskey Wash. (n.d.). Whiskey Review: Preservation Distillery Old Man Winter Bourbon. Retrieved July 1, 2024, from https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/whiskey-review-preservation-distillery-old-man-winter-bourbon/

The taste is a explosion of flavors, which can be jarring, but exciting at the same time. There are vanilla notes, caramel, brown sugar, and these just keep lingering on the tongue for well over a minute. For me it surprising also how much it mellows out after the initial taste as the finish is very sweet and delectable to me at the very least. Overall these flavors are just so well balanced during what I can only describe as the crescendo of flavors, as that first burst leaves me wanting just more and more pours of this bourbon.

Conclusion

This bottle comes from the same people that make Old St. Nick and Rare Perfections. And honestly this one surprises me as this doesnt share anything with regards to flavor and profile for me atleast. I have had a few St. Nicks though so take that with a grain of salt, and Rare Perfections is also a Canadian Whiskey so shouldn’t be much to compare.

This bottle if you see it, is an absolute must try. There are few bottles out there that I would say hey go out and buy this for everyone and so far this is that. For me this is got the unique balance of flavors and wow to the that everytime I come back to it I just want more and more. Its not a pappy by label, but I can certainly put it down as a fine replacement if I so need to. The balance in the taste is fantastic, the flavors of caramel and vanilla do this harmonic dance that is so delectable its just shy of a *Chef’s kiss*.

Harshness is there, but it quickly subsides for the main show which is the taste. When I describe character and uniqueness this is the bottle I would point to as example. Its what all bourbon should live up to be and that quality of a mark. It should be bold and full of surprises that are good. Nose as well there is just nothing I can ding for the nose at all here

Value, you are certainly getting what you pay for. I over paid for this bottle as I found it cheaper about a week later, but at the $160 I still think that is more than reasonable for the quality you are getting in this bottle. If you can find it for the $120 I saw, then that just makes this a no brainer.

As with all these resurrection projects, I would take the quality with grain of salt. This has been done before with bourbons brands such as 2X0 and consistency hasn’t been the greatest there. With this being the first release in the series and being a banger of a release that is certainly something we should look forward to. However, we should be mindful that we will have to see if the furthers releases stand up to this one in terms of quality.